The History of The Flip Phone

HMDLaura
HMDLaura ✭✭✭✭
edited December 2019 in Phones

Hey everyone,

Flip phones lost out in terms of trends a few years ago, but as with most things it has gone circular and the flip phone is once again at the top of everyone’s list of must haves.

Boasting excellent durability and style to match, the Nokia 2720 Flip is a feature phone built to last. With the reintroduction of such a classic phone and design, we thought it would be interesting to take a look at some of the history of the flip phone to see where it hit its peak in popularity.

Nokia_2720Flip_large

The very first flip phone was created in 1996, although it took inspiration from a concept introduced in 1989. The classic clamshell design phone featured SMS text messages, vibrate alerts and a back-up battery. It became an instant success and flip phones quickly became the must have fashion accessory of the end of the decade.

Many iterations of the flip phone were released as everyone attempted to get in on the trend and flip phones saw their popularity stretch across a decade. In the early-2000s, the flip phone was seen as cooler and more stylish than its predecessors. So much so, in fact, that the flip phone was the last must-have phone before the smartphones arrived in the mid-2000s.

The trend of flip phones died down around 2010 and now, almost a decade later they are back and the Nokia 2720 flip is leading the pack. Stylish, functional and affordable. It’s got everything you remember about classic flip phones and it’s made for the 21st century.

Nokia2720_Flip_Liveimage

What are your thoughts on the Nokia 2720 Flip? Did you have one of the classics when it was first released? Share your thoughts and experiences with flip phones in the comments below.

Comments

  • andigruber02
    andigruber02 ✭✭✭✭

    ALong Time ago i owned the Nokia 2760. Pretty Compact Phone and nice Design. It was a really good Phone, nur after a year the Flip mechanism became making Problems. So wen i flipped the Phone Open the inner screen won't activate. Besides that it was a reliable Phone. 😀

  • Ashish Hunkeri
    Ashish Hunkeri Super User

    In 2008 we had nokia 2760 in home. Almost everyone used to show off others. It was unique and most importantly the snake games was favorite to play on it .

  • Ashutoshh
    Ashutoshh ✭✭

    Nokia old phones are the best ones. Flip phones are special for it's design and mechanism. Even it's 0.3 mega pixel camera on back was more promising in those goood old days.

  • SirFaceFone
    SirFaceFone ✭✭✭✭

    Honestly I'd love to see Nokia do a modern flip phone with a flexible POLED display running Android ala Moto Razr instead of just rehashing the classics. (Imagine a modern 2720 or a Communicator!) Nothing wrong with the latter but they're usually rather expensive for a feature phone, which makes them more of a novelty collectors item more than anything else.

  • Kartik Gada
    Kartik Gada Super User

    @BootloaderUnlockWhen I agree. Nokia has a history full of amazing devices and some of these devices can be relaunched with a modern touch. For example: Nokia can experiment with folding phones by relaunching (as you said) the Communicator that opens like a Galaxy Fold (actually, galaxy fold opens like a communicator😜🤣). There were many posts all over the internet comparing the Fold to the Communicator when it was launched. These devices can be sold for a much premium and won't even receive bad reviews as it won't be for average buyers.

    BUT (A BIG BUT), if this has to happen, Nokia Mobile will have to get rid of Android One for that particular device at least. It just won't compliment the amazing folding design. There have to be some extra perks baked into the OS. :)

  • Altal
    Altal ✭✭
    I'm moaning now. Always loved Nokia. Had various right up the C7. After Microsoft got involved, that was it for me.
    Now they coming back :) happy days.........However
    I bought/pre-ordered my 2720 on the 13th October...... promised deliver month end.
    Month end came...... got an email....... they start delivering on the 7th Nov.
    Then nothing...... I contacted Nokia (my old friend of a mobile company) and they apologised but gave no delivery date.
    As of this post still waiting.......YET, I can now buy the phone in loads outlets.....wtf
    Come on old friend!! Don't let me down....
  • SirFaceFone
    SirFaceFone ✭✭✭✭

    @Kartik Gada

    True. As for ditching Android One, that doesn't seem too strange for HMD, the X models and carrier exclusives aren't part of the program, for example. I'm guessing we'll see a foldable Nokia device only once the technology is cheap enough to produce/stock Android fully support foldables. They don't seem to have the budget to do such risks right now.

  • Kartik Gada
    Kartik Gada Super User

    @BootloaderUnlockWhen

    But the foldable display tech is already expensive and those buying such products are the ones who don't have to worry about the price of such products. Also, all brands will be selling these devices in limited quantities so, there shouldn't be much bigger price difference for buying these foldable displays. It is risky but returns are high as well.

  • singhnsk
    singhnsk Super User

    Aha! I used to own a flip phone. Sony Ericsson W300i it was and I got it from my dad when he switched over to a new one. It was nice form factor. Never owned a Nokia flip phone, guess they never made from the times that I started buying my phones.

    I like the form factor, maybe the best thing about them is flipping it open and close to take or end the calls.

  • madbilly
    madbilly Super User

    Hi @HMDLaura,

    Nice topic! I see that the 2720 Flip is now available in Red! https://mobile.twitter.com/sarvikas/status/1197014830818791425

    Honestly, I never had a flip phone and never really liked them (or they didn't have the specs I was after, or could afford) and instead had slider phones.

    A folding touchscreen phone is something that many of us on this forum have been asking HMD to do since they began! They don't even need to take the risk of using bendy OLED screens, they could just have two LCDs with a hinge - this would easily be possible on a phone the thickness of the 2720 Flip.

    If HMD do make a bendy touchscreen phone then they should be making the Nokia 888, no question about it: http://www.nokia888.net/

    Cheers 🤪

  • Ashish007
    Ashish007 ✭
    https://community.phones.nokia.com/discussion/53608/the-history-of-the-flip-phone

    What is the expected launch date in India ?

  • sergyu
    sergyu ✭✭✭

    i had an N76 flip phone, even now i have it, the red one. it served me well 5 years but my sim reader needs to be changed. they really are good phones, steady.

  • Flip phoner
    Flip phoner ✭✭

    Still have the original 2720 sadly unable to use it as the battery has "burnt" through. Apparently no one is able to fix it. Never had a problem with it even though it has landed on concrete floor several times. Find the newew phones too flimsy

  • ImtiazMalik_561
    ImtiazMalik_561 ✭✭

    Hi I'm Imtiaz Malik from Qatar, requesting you to kindly provide me 1 to 20 LCD displays with strips of Nokia X3-00.

    I'm interested to buy these 20 new devices also.

    This Phone is so meaningful and very important for me, please help me out with this need and love.., even I'd get 1 device.

    Kindly respond to this request please and fullfil my need, I'll be very thankful to you and all the Nokia team.. 

    Love You Nokia

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