The banana phone returns: everything you need to know about the Nokia 8110 4G

The Nokia 8110 4G is a reboot of the iconic handset of the same name from 1996, launched at MWC 2018 in Barcelona.

If you are a fan of the 1999 movie The Matrix it may be familiar, as Neo used a spring loaded version of the slider.

It's the second handset in the new ‘Nokia Originals’ series from HMD, the manufacturer that licenses the iconic name for its mobile phones.

• Check out our in-depth hands on: Nokia 8110 4G review

You can watch our brief video hands on with the new Nokia 8110 4G below

Nokia 8110 4G release date and price

The Nokia 8110 release date is set for May 2018, and we know it'll be available in Europe, The Middle East, Africa and China in single and dual SIM variants. 

As for availability in other countries, there's currently no further information on this. 

The Nokia 8110 4G price is confirmed to be €79 (around £70, $100, AU$120).

Nokia 8110 4G design

The Nokia 8110 4G inherits the distinctive curve and slider of the original, although it arrives in a smaller package making it easier to hold in the hand  

It's a distinctly plastic body, with a microUSB port on the vase, headphone jack on the top and a power/lock key on the right. 

The keypad is hidden under the slider, and feature your navigation and numerical keys. 

It's available in two colors, traditional black and banana yellow. 

Nokia 8110 4G display

The Nokia 8110 4G has a 2.4-inch curved display with a QVGA resolution. 

It's not a touchscreen, so you well need to use the physical navigation keys below it to use the phone.

Nokia 8110 4G battery

There's a 1,500mAh battery inside the Nokia 8110 4G, which HMD claims can provide up to 25 days standby from a single charge. 

It's also big enough to make a 8.5 hour LTE voice call, if that's what you want from a phone.

Nokia 8110 4G power

Under the hooda Qualcomm 205 chipset (dual core 1.1GHz) and 512MB are tasked with running the show. 

It's not a lot of power, especially compared to the smartphones of today, but for a feature phone it should suffice.

Nokia 8110 4G operating system

The Nokia 8110 4G runs what HMD is calling a Smart Feature OS. 

It means you get a very simple on screen experience, but you do get the rebooted version of the famous Snake game along with the Facebook, Twitter, Google Maps and Google Assistant apps. 

We're told more apps will come to the handset in the coming months, aided by its 4G connectivity. 

You can also use the 8110 4G as a Wi-Fi hotspot, and making and ending calls is as easy as moving the slider down or up. 

There's also 4GB of storage inside the handset to store photos, music and apps, plus an FM radio as well.

Nokia 8110 4G camera

You'll find a 2MP camera with single LED flash on the rear of the 8110 4G. 

It won't be up to much, but for the occasional snap for Facebook and Twitter it should be okay.

MWC (Mobile World Congress) is the world's largest exhibition for the mobile industry, stuffed full of the newest phones, tablets, wearables and more. TechRadar is reporting live from Barcelona all week to bring you the very latest from the show floor. Head to our dedicated MWC 2018 hub to see all the new releases, along with TechRadar's world-class analysis and buying advice about your next phone.