The evolution of cell phones over time has rapidly developed into a multibillion industry. However, this evolution did not start with us neither will it end with us either.
Companies have gone out of their way to come up with the best models that would best suit their users and serve as functional and purposeful objects.
Mobile phones have been developed and re-designed over the years at a breakneck speed. Many variations and models have been made–some successful and others not that successful nor appealing.
The shape, weight, screen size, and slimness of mobile phones have experienced constant change as the perfect balance has been constantly sought after.
This meant that some bizarre-looking shapes had to be made to achieve ideal shapes and designs that worked best.
Let us take a look at some of these curious phone shapes in the mobile industry.
Motorola V70 (2002)
Released just at the beginning of the 21st century, Motorola V70 was the hottest and most expensive mobile device at the time, going for $400 upwards.
Motorola V70 was regarded as one of the most stylish and most efficient devices at the time. Equipped with stela features such as GSM/GPRS which were the newest technology that enabled devices to communicate over long distances wirelessly.
This device had a signature look; a 360-degree rotating keypad, that made it stand out. Its silver casting coupled with a compact size with a five-line circular display all had a hand in making this mobile device an eye-catching model.
However, the 360-degree shape stole the show.
This shape gave the V70 a lot of popularity but just as you’ve already guessed, it did not last for a long time considering the design faced a couple of flaws and further alterations were factored out with time.
Mobile phone enthusiasts to date still make reviews on the model.
Nokia 7600 (2003)
Targeted to capture the fashion market, Nokia released a teardrop-shaped mobile phone that had a couple of interchangeable covers for customization.
This model was known as the Nokia 7600.
Though it was equipped with one of the best quality VGA cameras at the time, this “fashionable” mobile device came with a couple of unavoidable flaws.
Due to its teardrop shape, the key buttons were placed along the margin with the screen at the center. The placement of the keys was simply inconvenient, keying and dialing felt a bit awkward and made their users learn how to do so with time.
Funny enough, the design at the time was also considered a bit awkward receiving several critiques.
The teardrop design and shape on the Nokia 7600 was deemed as a huge failure and further alterations were phased out.
Though some online stores like Mobile Phones Direct contact sell old mobile phones such as the Nokia 7600. Take a look at some of their reviews and find out if they are still in stock and if it’s worth having one.
Samsung Juke (2007)
Samsung Juke was designed to target music lovers; just as the name suggests.
Supporting a wide and different music format with up to 3GB storage for music, Samsung juke at the time was a no-brainer for all music lovers.
Its shape and design were also interesting. It had a swivel hinge that allowed the user to swing the device open to expose the keypad.
Critics remarked that its appearance almost resembled the lipstick design of the Nokia 7380. Also, its shape was so deceiving that people were not sure if it was a cellphone or just an MP3 player.
Its design and specifications were nicely tailored to music lovers, but that was just all about it. Its shape was considered a failure in that it was not versatile enough to meet all the required needs for a universal mobile device.
The Samsung Juke is still available on the market, going for up to $99.99 with a contract that spans almost two years.
Check out Mobile phone companies and read through people’s reviews to see which of these companies still sell these historic mobile devices such as the Samsung Juke.
Be careful while selecting the online store and make sure you review their policies and warranties before you make your purchase.
Conclusion.
We have taken a look at some of the historical mobile devices which were developed by big tech companies long ago as well as how they took up weird-looking shapes.
Most of these shapes and models were deemed as huge failures and were not iterated any longer. However, they served as important reference points for designers allowing them to come up with better and functional models that are easy to use and are more efficient.