News
M&A Sessions
Impact Awards
Pipeline 2025
MSP Index
Reports
Events
Resources
Advertise

Business Managed IT Services Cloud

Collaboration Data Centre Digital

Distribution Hardware Mobility

Networking Printing Security

Servers & Storage Services Storage

Telco

End of support for Windows 10 State of AI 2024 Public Sector Tech Report

State of data State of Security 2024 State of the MSP 2024

Kickstarter 2024 Cloud Covered State of Diversity

State of Sustainability 2023

Channel Leaders Golf Day Benchmark Security Awards MSP Index Roadshow

Channel Meets 2025 Pipeline 2025 Impact Awards

Fast50

Photos Channel TV Focal Points

Partner Content Partner Hubs Partner Stories

Media Hub Boardroom Impact Whitepapers

News

Business Managed IT Services Cloud Collaboration Data Centre Digital Distribution Hardware Mobility Networking Printing Security Servers & Storage Services Storage Telco

M&A Sessions Impact Awards Pipeline 2025 MSP Index Reports

End of support for Windows 10 State of AI 2024 Public Sector Tech Report State of data State of Security 2024 State of the MSP 2024 Kickstarter 2024 Cloud Covered State of Diversity State of Sustainability 2023

Events

Channel Leaders Golf Day Benchmark Security Awards MSP Index Roadshow Channel Meets 2025 Pipeline 2025 Impact Awards Fast50

Resources

Photos Channel TV Focal Points Partner Content Partner Hubs Partner Stories Media Hub Boardroom Impact Whitepapers

Advertise

Log in

Email:

Password:

Remember me | Forgot password?

Don't have an account? Register now!

Home
Galleries
Mobility

In pictures: Top 25 mobile phones of all time

From the Motorola DynaTAC 8000x to the mighty Apple iPhone - here's our pick of the most innovative, styish and ground-breaking mobile phones in history. If you've ever owned a phone you were unduly proud of, it's probably on this list...

0 Comments

1 of 26

Top 25 mobile phones

Earlier in the month, the mobile phone turned 30 in Australia. The call was made on a $5000 car phone system that weighed in at 14 kilograms with a headset that measured 45cm - a far cry from today's pocket-sized smartphones.

To mark this historic occasion, we've gathered together 25 landmark mobile phones - from the Motorola DynaTAC 8000x to the Samsung Galaxy S II. If you've ever owned a phone you were unduly proud of, it's probably on this list...

Motorola DynaTAC 8000x (1983)

This is it – the mother of all mobile phones. Where would we be without the Motorola DynaTAC? Constantly in search of phonebooths and internet cafes, that's where.

Nokia 1011 (1992)

Yes, Motorola set the mobile ball rolling, but Nokia gave it real momentum with this, the first mass-produced GSM phone. It could receive text messages but not send them, and stored 99 numbers – so one each for the number of people you knew with mobiles and 98 for the rest of your friends.

Motorola StarTAC (1996)

The StarTAC wasn't just the first clamshell phone; it was the first 'cool' phone. In the same way that the intrinsic coolness of the iPod fuelled the popularity of MP3 players, so the StarTAC's jazzy design helped establish mobiles as a must-have.

Nokia 8110 (1996)

Yes, it's the Matrix phone. After we'd watched Neo purposefully pop the slide down on his 8110, we all wanted one. Shame the spring-loaded slider was a custom addition to Keanu's and we had to wait for the later 7110 before we could get a similar push-button slide action. Still, the 8110 looked far cooler.

Nokia 3210 (1999)

It was a toss-up between this and the 3310, but this mini gem left more of a lasting impression – and isn't tainted by the memory of a million tacky Xpress-on covers. This was the phone that really brought Snake and T9 predictive texting to the masses.

Sony CMD-Z5 (2000)

Before Sony joined forces with Ericsson, it was already making some of the tastiest handsets around. This flip-phone was arguably the best of them, and featured a handy side-mounted jog dial for scrolling menus and, more importantly, playing the built-in fishing game.

Sony Ericsson P800 (2002)

A mammoth smartphone, the P800 had a massive touchscreen as well as a traditional number pad that flipped across part of the screen. It was popular amongst business-types, but also an impressive widescreen gaming handheld. Shame the subsequent P900 and P910 didn't slim down to keep the P-series from sinking under the weight of their own blubber.

Nokia 6310i (2002)

The 6310i wasn't about features or wow; it was the paramount business phone because it was super-reliable and had a battery that needed charging less frequently than a series of Big Brother would roll round.

Sony Ericsson T610 (2003)

One of our all-time favourite candybar mobiles, the T610 was tiny yet classy. Despite its teensiness, it crammed in a camera and Bluetooth, while the nub-like joystick was great for games.

BlackBerry 7230 (2003)

The so-called BlueBerry (any guesses why?) was the first colour-screened BlackBerry and the breakthrough that led to the CrackBerry addiction. Email was never to be a purely deskbound pursuit again.

T-Mobile Sidekick 2 (2004)

BlackBerry might be the king of mobile email, but for a time the Sidekick was the queen. Also known by the ridiculous moniker of Danger Hiptop2, the Sidekick 2 relied on cloud data storage and became popular for its excellent Qwerty keypad and easily scrollable messages. Paris Hilton's Sidekick 2 famously had its address book hacked, and problems with the cloud service doomed later models.

Motorola RAZR V3 (2004)

Originally intended to be a limited-edition premium phone, the RAZR's demand became so great that eventually everybody had one, in one of the zillion colours it got released in while Moto milked its success. The phone itself was a pain to use, but boy was it a lovely object.

Nokia N70 (2005)

For anyone who'd rather tear their own eyeballs out than wrestle with Windows Mobile, the Nokia N70 was the ideal alternative. The speed of 3G combined with the versatility and usability of Symbian 8.1 and the S60 UI resulted in a pocket powerhouse.

O2 XDA II Mini (2005)

Also known as the i-mate JAM, this was one of HTC's finest Windows Mobile devices and an awe-inspiring exercise in miniaturisation.

Nokia 9300 (2005)

Sure the iPhone generation might laugh now, but those of us who used Nokia Communicators still yearn for a natural successor. It was as if someone had wedged a Psion organiser on the back of a dependable Nokia business mobile – and we mean that in a very good way. The 9300 may have been a cut-price 9500, but the reduced size also gave it the edge.

Sony Ericsson W880i (2006)

The W800 may have been Sony Ericsson's first Walkman phone, but the W880i was the first one we coveted. Sleek, brushed-metal and great for playing music, it was a gadgety dream.

Samsung SGH-X820 (2006)

In 2006, the X820 came along and redefined skinny. Every other handset suddenly seemed like a bloater on a diet of heavy batteries and surplus plastic.

Sony Ericsson K800i (2006)

Before this Cyber-shot mobile winked its shutter at us, we didn't take camera-phones that seriously. Sure they were okay for silly snaps, but you wouldn't capture important memories on them. A 3.2MP sensor, sliding lens cover and proper Xenon flash meant this was as much camera as phone.

Nokia 6300 (2007)

If anyone needed a reminder of how well Nokia made basic, anyone-can-use-it mobiles, the 6300 was the perfect example of the simple-phone art. Stylish, solid and superb.

LG Viewty (2007)

Apple is currently throwing lawsuits at everyone with a touch screen phone design, but it was actually LG who first brought the concept to market. Released in 2007, the 'Viewty' (AKA KU990) was a 3G-enabled touch screen phone that packed in an AF 5-megapixel camera with a Schneider Kreuznach lens and inbuilt flash. Unfortunately for LG, the first iPhone was released in the same month.

Nokia N95 (2007)

GPS, a 5MP camera, dual-sliding form factor, HSDPA and expandable storage via a MicroSD slot all added up to make a formidable device. If it weren't for that dastardly iPhone redefining the smartphone genre, the Nokia N95 may have reigned supreme for years.

BlackBerry Bold 9000 (2008)

The 9000 was the ultimate evolution of the original BlackBerry, before they got all touchscreeny. The addition of 3G and a 2MP camera made it more friendly and less tethered to big business.

Apple iPhone 3G (2008)

For all its wow, the original iPhone lacked the speedy on-the-go connectivity to make it truly world-changing. 3G was the fuel that finally launched the iPhone into the smartphone stratosphere. The rest is cider-flavoured history.

HTC Hero (2009)

It wasn't the first Android phone – that honour lies with the T-Mobile G1 – but the HTC Hero was the first to seem a real threat to the iPhone's dominance. And that kick-out chin gave it some personality that's largely been lacking in other Android handsets, even if it did draw comparisons to B-grade actor Bruce Campbell.

Samsung Galaxy S II (2011)

The best Android phone yet, with a simply amazing AMOLED screen and plenty of grunt. Make no mistake, if the Android Market were as good as the App Store, this would be the one handset to rule them all.

Top 25 mobile phones

Tags:

Dell raises annual profit forecast on strong AI server demand

Nvidia to launch cheaper Blackwell AI chip for China after US export curbs, sources say

Dell bets big on 'AI Factory' approach with new hardware and cooling tech

Partner Content

Secure, integrated platforms enable MSPs to focus bringing powerful solutions to customers

Ingram Micro Ushers in the Age of Ultra

Tech For Good program gives purpose and strong business outcomes

Channel can help lead customers to boosting workplace wellbeing with professional headsets

Kaseya Dattocon APAC 2024 is Back

Events

techpartner.news MSP index - Brisbane

techpartner.news Channel Leader List / Golf day

techpartner.news Pipeline Conference 2025

Integrate Expo 2025

Security Exhibition & Conference 2025

Most popular tech stories

Westpac hires CBA's data chief to lead AI, data and digital

ANZ explores agentic AI opportunities

Westpac pilots AI to analyse inbound call content

BHP sets up AI hub in Singapore

City of Sydney's HR uplift to help career management
Telstra to move away from 'best effort' connectivity, let users tweak attributes

Westpac hires CBA's data chief to lead AI, data and digital

Transport for NSW restructures tech division

Telstra addresses external antenna claims by Vodafone

In Pictures: Abnormal AI and AUSCERT security roundtable
Blackberry celebrates "giant step forward"

Photos: The 2024 IoT Awards winners

Axis Communications opens experience centre in Sydney tech hub

Perth IoT vendor Digital Matter names new chief executive

How the University of Melbourne used LoRaWAN and IoT in ‘COVIDSafe’ strategy

OTHER TECH SITES: Digital Nation | IoT Hub | iTnews

All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form without prior authorisation.
Your use of this website constitutes acceptance of nextmedia's Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.

Log in

Don't have an account? Register now!

Email:

Password:

Remember me | Forgot your password?

In pictures: Top 25 mobile phones of all time

From the Motorola DynaTAC 8000x to the mighty Apple iPhone - here's our pick of the most innovative, styish and ground-breaking mobile phones in history. If you've ever owned a phone you were unduly proud of, it's probably on this list...

Top 25 mobile phones

Motorola DynaTAC 8000x (1983)

Nokia 1011 (1992)

Motorola StarTAC (1996)

Nokia 8110 (1996)

Nokia 3210 (1999)

Sony CMD-Z5 (2000)

Sony Ericsson P800 (2002)

Nokia 6310i (2002)

Sony Ericsson T610 (2003)

BlackBerry 7230 (2003)

T-Mobile Sidekick 2 (2004)

Motorola RAZR V3 (2004)

Nokia N70 (2005)

O2 XDA II Mini (2005)

Nokia 9300 (2005)

Sony Ericsson W880i (2006)

Samsung SGH-X820 (2006)

Sony Ericsson K800i (2006)

Nokia 6300 (2007)

LG Viewty (2007)

Nokia N95 (2007)

BlackBerry Bold 9000 (2008)

Apple iPhone 3G (2008)

HTC Hero (2009)

Samsung Galaxy S II (2011)

Top 25 mobile phones

Related articles

Dell raises annual profit forecast on strong AI server demand

Nvidia to launch cheaper Blackwell AI chip for China after US export curbs, sources say

Dell bets big on 'AI Factory' approach with new hardware and cooling tech

Most popular tech stories

Westpac hires CBA's data chief to lead AI, data and digital

ANZ explores agentic AI opportunities

Westpac pilots AI to analyse inbound call content

BHP sets up AI hub in Singapore

City of Sydney's HR uplift to help career management

Telstra to move away from 'best effort' connectivity, let users tweak attributes

Westpac hires CBA's data chief to lead AI, data and digital

Transport for NSW restructures tech division

Telstra addresses external antenna claims by Vodafone

In Pictures: Abnormal AI and AUSCERT security roundtable

Blackberry celebrates "giant step forward"

Photos: The 2024 IoT Awards winners

Axis Communications opens experience centre in Sydney tech hub

Perth IoT vendor Digital Matter names new chief executive

How the University of Melbourne used LoRaWAN and IoT in ‘COVIDSafe’ strategy

Log in