Vintage Cell Phones
On April 3, 1973, Martin Cooper, who worked for Motorola, placed the first cell phone call on the streets of New York on a phone weighing 30 ounces. That initial call to his competitors at Bell Lab changed the world forever because consumers quickly fell in love with becoming free from wired telephones, allowing them to reach friends and family from anywhere. There are many collectible mobile phones that still work today.
What was the first cell phone sold to the public?
The first cell phone sold to the public was the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X. It quickly became a status symbol as consumers paid $3,900 for a unit that allowed them to connect to the telephone network without having to use a live mobile operator. Users were able to talk on the phone for 30 minutes before they had to recharge the battery for 10 hours although eventually an unreliable one-hour charger was released.
What was the Nokia 1100?
The Noka 1100 was the bestselling electrical device in history at the time of its release. It sold more than 250 million units from 2003 to 2009. Consumers in third-world countries continue to clamor for this phone's technology that has now been sold more than 1 billion times. This cell phone featured 36 monophonic ringtones, it had a capacity for 50 messages, and it could last up to 400 hours between charges.
What was the world's first smartphone?
While the term did not exist for another three years, the first smartphone was released by IBM in 1995. The Simon Personal Communicator initially sold for $899. In addition to being able to make and receive phone calls, people could use the 4.5-inch by 1.4-inch touch screen to view emails, to receive faxes, and to look at pages.
When was the first Android phone released?
The first Android phone was released on October 22, 2008. The mobile phone was called the T-Mobile G1 in the United States and the HTC Dream in other parts of the world. Most phones worked on the Donut operating system although a few operated on the Cupcake. Users could view the internet, Google maps, YouTube, and Google Talk on the 3.2-inch touch screen.
When was the first iPhone released?
The first iPhone was released on June 29, 2007, in the United States. This mobile phone operated on AT&T's 2.5G EDGE network. Users had the luxury of surfing the internet using a Safari web browser. They also had visual voicemail, HTML email, and YouTube from their mobile phones.
What do collectors look for in old cell phones?
It is estimated that Americans have more than $350 billion-worth of vintage mobile phones in their homes. If you are looking to start or add to a collection, then collectors are looking for cell phones that are:
- Rare: First releases that were produced in small numbers are usually more valuable.
- Original accessories and packaging: Collectors pay more for mobile phones with their original accessories and packaging. Phones that have never been opened command a premium.
- Condition: The phone needs to be in working order even if the system is no longer supported.