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The evolution of telephony has been unstoppable in the last ten years. We have seen how the screens have been increasing little by little, gaining in resolution and image quality. This is what new applications, games or multimedia services claim. Can't say less about power or RAM. Same for the photographic or design section.
Ten years ago we still carried T9 keyboard phones in our pockets. The mobiles fit perfectly in the palm of the hand. They were much smaller and more manageable. Of course, selfies were not in fashion and to take good photos we needed to carry an SLR camera as an extra. Those were other times, the metamorphosis of what we know today was beginning. For the nostalgic, for those who miss what a phone is to talk and little else, let's look back. We review the star mobiles of a decade ago.
iPhone
It cannot be denied that the iPhone was a revolution for the telephony industry. It was a mobile that was a before and after. Its design and touch screen, added to other functions or the new iOS system made it very successful. The iPhone started life in 2007 with a 3.5-inch diagonal and a density of 165 pixels per inch. Considering that later a version with a retina screen arrived, it is true that it was not something to be surprised about. In any case, you can imagine ten years ago.
This model incorporated a 2 megapixel rear camera ( without a front camera, something unthinkable today). It also had USB 2.0 compatibility. As we say, with it came iOS, a platform that remains one of the most used today and currently competes with Android.
Nokia N81
In August 2007 Nokia surprised with the Nokia N81, a phone that stood out at that time for its design and memory. Months later the company launched a version of the phone with 8 GB of space, which was a landmark at the time. The Nokia N81 inherited much of the aesthetics of the Finnish mobile phones. In this case, it offered a slide-out chassis that exposed a completely flat T9 keyboard (no protruding keys). Its screen was not touch-sensitive and its functions had to be accessed through the buttons.
The Nokia N81 was a simple phone, but it already had interesting features: Wi-Fi, 3G, GPS or Bluetooth A2DP connection for wireless headsets. It had a Symbian S60 operating system and a 2.4-inch screen, through which we could view multimedia content. This model equipped a 2 megapixel camera with built-in flash and video recording, something that now seems like a practical joke. The truth is that 10 years ago, the Nokia N81 was a beautiful and very current device, which would allow Nokia to continue to maintain its throne. A throne, which, as you know, lost time later to give it to Samsung.
Sony Ericsson W810
Do you remember the Sony Ericsson Walkman range? Phones designed for music lovers. The Sony Ericsson W810 was one of them. It was a very popular device about ten years ago, mostly because of this claim. It is true that it did not have a large internal memory (20 MB). However, up to 4GB could be added to it using Memory Stick Pro Duo type cards. This model boasted a way in which the terminal became an MP3 player, disabling the functions of a mobile phone in use.
The photographic section of the Sony Ericsson W810 was typical of the time. It had a two megapixel camera. It also offered Bluetooth connections, infrared port and USB 2.0. It did not offer 3G or WiFi, something that was compensated by a nice design with a T9 type keyboard. Actually this terminal was made by and for those who wanted an MP3 player and a mobile phone at the same time.
Samsung D900
Like Nokia with the Nokia N81 or Sony with its Sony Ericsson W810, Samsung was also quite successful with the D900. The phone, above all, boasted design, being one of the thinnest of the moment. At first glance you could see a tiny mobile, with a sliding cover and a hidden T9 keyboard. Another key detail of this model is that its cover could be configured to hang up or pick up calls. As well as to lock or unlock the keyboard. Something very useful and that allowed us to save time, gaining comfort.
This mobile also had a 2.1-inch TFT screen and 60 MB of internal memory with a microSD card slot. Its 800 mAh battery and 3.1 megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash made it shine above many rivals. Also, the connections section was completed with bluetooth 2.0 and A2DP. It had no FM or GPS radio.
Motorola AURA
Who does not remember the Motorola AURA? It was one of the most elegant mobiles ever made, with its round dial and its T9 keyboard hidden under a striking casing. This mobile was pure design. Stainless steel was used to manufacture its chassis. In addition, it was chemically etched and coated with a PVD layer to prevent scratches. The most innovative thing about this mobile was its peculiar rotation mechanism, made up of more than 200 high-precision parts.
As far as internal features go, it really didn't stand out too much. The Motorola Aura was a quad-band phone with EDGE. It also included a 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR and A2DP and 2GB of internal memory. The phone had a radio and offered the ability to send and receive e-mails via POP3 and IMAP. As for the audio, it played the following formats: AAC, AAC +, MIDI, MP3, WAV, WMA v10 and WMA v9. Its battery lasted 400 hours of standby time and 7.3 hours of talk time.
Ten years ago other types of devices were successful. Today it would be unthinkable to settle for one of them. The evolution of all these brands and of current telephony, which we know right now, only allows us to look back to see that in a decade the market has gone quite far. This makes us think that in 2027, when we look back with nostalgia, we may have the same feeling as now. The big question we ask ourselves is: Where do you think telephony is progressing?
