Nokia 3310 relaunch: Everything you need to know

Originally revealed 17 years ago, Nokia has resurrected the classic mobile phone at MWC 2017, with a handful of modern tweaks.

The new version recreates the design of the original, which was an icon of the early 2000s and helped bring text messaging into the mainstream. It was one of the first mobiles to also become a cultural icon, with its distinctive Nokia ringtone, compact design and mobile game Snake, and sold more than 100 million units.

The new version has been unveiled by HMD Global, a Finnish company made up largely of former Nokia employees, that has acquired the rights to the Nokia brand.

First, it isn’t a smartphone. And yes, it’s even a stretch for us to cover it since it doesn’t run Android, but we couldn’t resist! The Nokia 3310 offers a similar design to the original, though it isn’t without some pretty crucial improvements. First, the display has upgraded to a 2.4-inch QVGA color display, something that the original 3310 didn’t offer. Nokia also upgraded the software to Nokia Series 30+, added a 2MP camera, and even a modern microSD slot.

Second, the new design comes in multiple colors and offers a completely revamped version of the classic “Snake”. Nokia also says the phone has a battery that can last a month in standby and that the phone features the classic Nokia ringtone. And that’s about it.

"For the Nokia 3310 we just couldn’t resist. We wanted to reward loyal Nokia phone fans and make a statement that rich heritage, innovation and modern design can go hand-in- hand," HMD's chief product officer Juho Sarvikas said.

Florian Seiche, HMD's president, said the 3310 would be "your digital detox phone", a second device for smartphone-weary consumers, as well as a big seller in emerging markets where cheap "feature phones" are still popular.