The beloved Nokia 3310 is back with 4G LTE and Android

One of the bombshell announcements of MWC 2017 was the revamped Nokia 3310. Following up on the buzz at MWC 2018 will be tough for manufacturer HMD Global, but it will give it a try with a 4G-enabled version of the phone called the Nokia 3310 4G.

Unlike the top-secret Samsung Galaxy S9, the 3310 4G has actually already been announced in China, but isn’t confirmed for arrival elsewhere – these are the sort of details we look forward to being revealed at MWC. 

The big 4G differences

Hopping up from 2G and 3G to 4G with the new version of the Nokia 3310 comes with its share of perks, including the ability to act as a Wi-Fi hot spot, and high-definition VoLTE calling support.

Since the phone doesn’t appear to have changed, the same can presumably be said about its battery life. Based on projections, 4G looks to take a heavy toll on the 3310, bringing the lifespan down to about five hours of talk time compared to the 2G version’s 15-hour target.

Global availability of the Nokia 3310 4G is unconfirmed, as is its price, but we expect at least a $20-30 premium for the feature compared to the 3G version, which sits at $59 in the US, £59.99 in the UK and AU$89.95 in Australia. 

If it shows up at MWC at the end of February, Nokia’s nostalgia trip of a phone might not capture hearts and minds that it did last year, but a 4G-enhanced classic will certainly appeal to good amount of people.

Via The Verge

Cameron Faulkner

Cameron is a writer at The Verge, focused on reviews, deals coverage, and news. He wrote for magazines and websites such as The Verge, TechRadar, Practical Photoshop, Polygon, Eater and Al Bawaba.