While the iPhone is a popular brand, the best-selling mobile phone of all time is the Nokia 1100. Long before modern smartphones homogenized mobile hardware into identical glass slabs, Nokia aggressively tested the boundaries of industrial design. From rotary-style keypads to eccentric fashion accessories, the company continuously questioned what a cellphone should look like and how users should interact with it.
The Evolution of the Messaging Device
Text messaging in the early 2000s required tedious multi-tap inputs on numeric keypads. Typing a basic word demanded multiple presses on a single number. Nokia attempted to fix this friction by experimenting with alternative form factors. The Nokia 5510 crammed an entire QWERTY keyboard onto the front of the device.
The subsequent Nokia 6800 line—encompassing the 6800, 6810, and 6820—offered a more sophisticated mechanical solution. Closed, these devices resembled standard cellphones with a screen up top and a numeric pad below. Unhinge the bottom half, however, and the device unfolded into a full QWERTY keyboard split down the middle by the display. These messaging devices supported early mobile email and BlackBerry integration before the line concluded in 2006 to make way for the E70.
Transforming Into Pocket Laptops
While the 6800 series split open to reveal input keys, later iterations expanded the display real estate as well. The Nokia 9300 appeared to be a standard numeric phone when closed. Opened lengthwise, it revealed an internal landscape screen and a miniature keyboard complete with a space bar and a directional thumbstick.
In this secondary orientation, the hardware functioned as a pocket-sized workstation capable of running applications like Microsoft Excel. Despite offering similar folding mechanics, the 9300 and the Nokia 9500 Communicator belonged to distinct product lines. Both devices were eventually succeeded by the E90 Communicator, which retained the same flip-out structural philosophy.
Camcorder Ergonomics and Swiveling Lenses
Modern consumers prioritize camera sensors when purchasing hardware, but Nokia engineered dedicated video-capture mechanics decades ago. The Nokia N90 featured a complex multi-axis hinge system. Users could open the phone normally, or tilt the screen 90 degrees and swivel it perpendicularly to transform the device into a makeshift camcorder.
The N93 pushed this mechanical complexity further by allowing the top section to swivel even when closed, creating a rare dual-axis flip mechanism. This dedicated camcorder aesthetic was short-lived. The subsequent N95 abandoned the heavy swiveling joints in favor of a dual-sliding mechanism designed for both voice calls and multimedia navigation.
Unorthodox Silhouettes and Keyless Fashion
Not all of Nokia’s design experiments prioritized enterprise productivity or media capture. The Nokia 7600 featured a stark, leaf-like silhouette with number buttons arranged on either side of a central screen. Operating the device required a slight tilt that forced its sharp corners uncomfortably against the user’s ear.
Pushing minimalism to an extreme, the Nokia 7280 abandoned buttons entirely. Marketed as part of a fashion line “inspired by the glamour and elegance of the lavish 1920s,” the keyless device resembled a lipstick holder or an MP3 player. Navigation and phone number input relied entirely on a dial and buttons on its front, forcing users to pop the top open to capture images or talk.
