Nostalgia isn’t just for the keepsakes anymore. It’s becoming a money-spinning prospect, with everything — from phones to TV shows coming back in new avatars and cashing in on the memories. Nokia announced the comeback of its trendsetting 3310 handset at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, earlier this year, and the phone has finally hit Indian shores, available for purchase starting May 18.
The new iteration gets a colour display, expandable memory, an MP3 player and FM radio, a 2MP camera, Bluetooth connectivity, and yes, the iconic Snake game too. It’s going to be priced at — no prizes for guessing — ₹3,310.
But will the nostalgic allure be enough to entice customers who are used to smartphones? If the results of a survey by Brickworks Media, conducted in eight Indian metros, is anything to go by, the answer is not really. According to the survey, only 27.85 per cent of the respondents showed purchasing intent for the phone; and this figure plunged to 17.09 per cent once they were made aware of an indicative price range (₹3,000 to ₹3,500) for the 3310.
When asked why they would prefer not to buy the revamped 3310, 42.41 per cent of the respondents said that it’s because it isn’t a smartphone. Further, only 11.18 per cent felt that the phone can hold its own against others.
While what this survey says isn’t too bright a prospect for the new 3310, we’ll never really know how it fares until after the launch, obviously. Let’s wait and watch to see if nostalgia is a crowd puller, here.