Nokia 8110 4G Brings the Banana Phone Back to Smartphone Market

HMD Global, which licenses the Nokia mobile phone brand, is going back in time with the reimagined Nokia 8110 4G. This model is modern take of the Nokia 8110 if 1996 with its curved design. The handset, affectionately known as the “Banana Phone” for its curved design and yellow color, is a feature phone that runs on an operating system called KaiOS. And at just 79 euros or about $97, it will be one of the more affordable phones on the market. But it will also come with extremely long battery life and the ability to be used on just about any carrier network around the world. Although the Nokia 8110 earned its place in mobile lore in 1999 in the film The Matrix, it might regain its past glory by attracting nostalgic customers who want a cheap but effective mobile phone. Read on to learn more about Nokia’s Banana Phone.

Nokia’s 8110 4G gets its Banana Phone moniker from its design. The device has a curved chassis and screen that are designed to wrap around a person’s face and improve call quality. The device is available in banana yellow. Those who aren’t so keen on a yellow handset can also opt for a curved 8110 in black.

The Nokia 8110 4G comes with a 2.45-inch QVGA display. The screen is curved and has a surprisingly high resolution and color vibrancy—something folks typically won’t find in a similarly priced handset. The screen only works with physical buttons, however, so don’t expect to touch the display to interact with the software.

Since the Banana Phone is so cheap, it’s perhaps no surprise that the device runs on the low-power Qualcomm Snapdragon 205 processor. The chip comes with dual cores and has a clock speed of 1.1GHz, but the basic apps and functions shouldn’t tax this processor. Still, HMD Global is promising a variety of apps that will take full advantage of the Nokia 8110 4G’s processor.

In what is an oddity in today’s mobile marketplace, the Nokia 8110 4G has a physical keypad, like the Banana Phone of old. A handful of action buttons give users the ability to access different functions and apps without ever touching the display. Arguably the phone’s most notable feature is a protective cover that, when closed, shields the keypad. When it’s opened, the phone is longer and reveals the keypad.

The Nokia 8110 4G runs what Nokia calls the Smart Feature OS, which is based on the bare bones operating system KaiOS, a Linux-based mobile operating system based on B2G (Boot to Gecko), an open source project. This means users will only find a handful of apps, including a phone, calendar, and the old-time classic game Snake. HMD Global said that users can import Outlook and Gmail contacts and calendar appointments through the Nokia 8110 4G. The company has also promised additional apps that will extend its usability.

Nokia’s 8110 4G will offer what HMD Global calls “powerful multi-day battery life.” According to the company, the Banana Phone will remain charged for up to 25 days while it’s on standby. The phone will deliver up to 9.3 hours of continuous talk time on Voice over LTE.

Those looking for a high-end camera experience won’t find it in Nokia’s 8110 4G. The device doesn’t have a front-facing camera, so selfies will be a bit difficult to snap. Its rear-facing camera has a 2-megapixel sensor with a simple LED flash. This phone is communication, not for snapping pictures.

According to HMD Global, the Nokia 8110 4G ships with 4GB of storage space, which should have capacity for a select few apps and other data before it fills up. As for memory, users will find just 512MB of RAM. That relatively small amount of RAM, coupled with the slow processor, should mean that sophisticated and resource-intensive apps won’t run well on the device.

HMD Global has designed the Nokia 8110 4G to be a true world phone that users can put on networks anywhere around the globe. The handset features dual SIM slots that allow for connectivity over 4G LTE and GSM networks.

HMD Global will release the Nokia 8110 4G in May. While the company has yet to announce pricing for every market, it said it will go on sale for 79 euros in the European Union. Most reports suggest the handset will be available to U.S. customers for between $79 and $99.