History of mobile telephony: from the 80s to today | Infosate
Share
-
History of mobile telephony: from the 80s to today
The 80s — the mobile phone is born
On 3 April 1973 Martin Cooper, a Motorola engineer, makes the first telephone call from a portable mobile phone in history. The phone he uses is the prototype of the Motorola DynaTAC — a device that weighs almost a kilogram and measures 33 centimetres. It will take ten years to bring it to market: in 1983 the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X becomes the first commercial mobile phone in history, at a price of nearly 4,000 dollars. Only the wealthiest can afford it.
Late 80s — the phone fits in your pocket
In 1989 Motorola launches the MicroTAC — the first phone small enough to fit in a pocket. Pioneer clamshell design, weight reduced to a minimum for the era. It is the phone of American films of those years — elegant, exclusive, futuristic. Mobile telephony starts to seem accessible, no longer just for the privileged few.
The 90s — GSM arrives and everything changes
1991 is the year of revolution: the GSM network is launched in Europe. For the first time mobile phones use digital instead of analogue — better call quality, greater security and above all the ability to send SMS. In 1992 the first SMS in history is sent. Nokia, Ericsson, Motorola and Siemens begin producing increasingly compact and affordable GSM phones.
1996 — Motorola StarTAC revolutionises design
In 1996 Motorola launches the StarTAC — the first large-scale clamshell phone. Inspired by the Star Trek communicator, ultra-thin and very light. It is an aesthetic revolution that all manufacturers will copy in the following years. The StarTAC proves that a mobile phone can be a design object as well as a communication tool.
Late 90s — the design wars
Between 1997 and 2000 manufacturers compete to produce the smallest, lightest and most beautiful phone. Ericsson T28 — the world's smallest GSM. Nokia 8850 — chrome metal casing. Nokia 3210 — first Nokia without external antenna. Nokia 8210 — colourful interchangeable covers. It is the golden age of design in mobile telephony.
2000 — the smartphone is born
In 2000 Ericsson launches the R380s — the first phone officially called a 'smartphone'. Touch display, Symbian operating system, email. In the same year Nokia launches the 3310 — the best-selling phone in history. Two opposing philosophies that coexist: the simple phone for everyone and the smartphone for few.
The 2000s — the era of colour and cameras
In the early 2000s phones transform rapidly. Colour displays, polyphonic ringtones, integrated cameras, Bluetooth, MP3 players. Nokia dominates with the 6600 — first mass-market smartphone. Sony Ericsson K750i takes mobile photography to a new level. Motorola RAZR V3 sets the minimum thickness record. Samsung begins its rise with increasingly refined designs.
2007 — the iPhone changes everything
On 9 January 2007 Steve Jobs presents the first iPhone. Touchscreen without physical keys, real internet in your pocket, App Store. It is the end of one era and the beginning of another. Nokia, which dominates the market with over 40% of global market share, fails to adapt. In a few years the touchscreen smartphone conquers the world.
Today — the nostalgia for vintage phones
Forty years after Martin Cooper's first phone call, phones from the 90s and 2000s have become collector's items. The Nokia 3310, the Motorola StarTAC, the Ericsson T28 — pieces that tell an extraordinary story. The vintage telephony market is growing strongly — and working original pieces become rarer and more valuable every year.
Own a piece of this history
At Infosate you'll find a selection of original vintage phones that tell forty years of mobile telephony history — all verified and working. From the first GSM to the last Nokia before smartphones — we ship throughout Europe with professional packaging.