Over the past few years, HMD Global has revived some of Nokia’s most popular smartphones from the past by bringing them the technology of the present. The most famous return could have been in the form of the Nokia N95 restart – however, the project was canceled due to technical limitations.
The Nokia N95, introduced in 2007, was in a league of its own in terms of performance and functionality. It was one of the earliest smartphones with a suitable operating system, an app store that could actually perform multiple tasks, and support for Wi-Fi. It also had an interesting sliding design that revealed the keyboard when sliding up and media controls when sliding down. Of course, the introduction of the iPhone rained on its parade in the months that followed, but few will argue that the Nokia N95 wasn’t made for the history books.
In the latest episode of When Phones Were Fun! by MrMobile On YouTube he investigates why the Nokia N95 was so popular and even calls it “the last of its kind”. As he walks us through the phone, he also gives an exclusive glimpse into a non-functional Nokia N95 revival prototype.
Just like its namesake, it has a sliding mechanism (now on the side) to reveal two front-facing cameras, an LED flash, and a large speaker grille. The camera bezel on the back can be opened to serve as a stand for video calls, movies, or even a smart bedside clock.
Juho Sarvikas, Product Manager at HMD Global, divided further insight into the project. If successful, the phone would have a truly frameless bezel, as the front camera and earpiece would be hidden.
With the goal of ease of use in both landscape and portrait orientation, as well as convenient one-handed operation, a few other options were also considered. The craziest one would slide up and out at a 45 degree angle. These permutations should ensure that the cameras and speaker can be accessed simultaneously.
As of today, the Nokia N95 has been discontinued from restarting with no knowledge of whether it will be revived. It’s still nice to see manufacturers openly sharing details about the products under consideration or in the pipeline for a change.
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