It's common knowledge that Samsung and Apple dominate today's smartphone market, but when discussing the best-selling phone of all time, we need to step back to the pre-smartphone era. This was a time when Snake II was the top mobile game, and camera phones were still a novelty.
The Nokia 1100 holds the title of the best-selling phone of all time, with over 250 million units shipped since its launch in 2003. Despite its enormous success, many might not have had the chance to own one.
Designed for the masses
While luxury smartphones often steal the spotlight, it's budget phones that most people use. Even the most affordable modern smartphones can meet the basic needs of the masses, offering solid performance and a decent feature set at an affordable price.
In fact, the best-selling Android phone of 2023 was the Galaxy A14 4G, emphasizing the popularity of budget-friendly options. Nokia understood this when they introduced the Nokia 1100 in 2003, targeting emerging markets like Russia, India, and China. Though not as robust as the iconic Nokia 3310, the 1100 featured additional dust protection and side grips for humid environments.
Nokia's goal, as stated in its official press release, was to "offer first-time users reliable functionality, simplicity, and value for money." The phone's basic design included features such as a 96x65 monochromatic display, dustproof design, voice and text messaging, 50-message capacity, storage for up to 50 contacts, pre-installed ringtones, replaceable battery with 400 hours of standby time, built-in flashlight, alarm clock, stopwatch, and calculator, as well as the popular Snake II and Space Impact+ games.
The Nokia 1100 remained popular from 2003 to 2009, gaining attention in 2009 for a security flaw that allowed hacking to send fraudulent text messages. Despite this, it continued to be a bestseller.
Other noteworthy phones
While the Nokia 1100 leads the list, other phones have also surpassed 200 million sales. The Nokia 1110, a similar model released in 2005, follows closely. In the smartphone era, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus take the lead with a combined total of over 220 million sales, marking a significant shift in design and Apple's dominance in 2014.
Interestingly, Nokia claims four spots in the top 10, with the remaining six taken by Apple iPhones. Samsung, despite being a major smartphone manufacturer from 2010 to 2023, only sees the 2009 Samsung E1100 in the top 20, with 150 million sales. The classic clamshell Motorola RAZR V3 also makes the top 20 with 130 million sales.
The majority of the top 20 comprises Nokia and Apple devices, reflecting a bygone era of Finnish candybar magic, even though Nokia-branded phones are still available today through HMD.
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