Nokia's 1100 handset: over 200 million served

Sales records typically don't stand for too long without being overtaken by the next best thing, but somehow, Nokia's el cheapo 1100 handset has reportedly racked up "over 200 million sales" since it launched in 2003. You heard right, this low-end candybar has put the 100 million iPods, 50 million RAZRs, 10 million Chocolates, and 115 million PlayStation 2 consoles to shame in terms of sheer units moved. Interestingly enough, the design team that conjured up this cash cow originally dubbed it "Penny," and the stripped down, dust-proof mobile purportedly entered the market at precisely the right time to catch the booming overseas growth as folks worldwide began snapping up their own cellphone. Of course, such a basic, uninspiring phone isn't for everyone, but considering the 200 million strong that owned one sometime during their life, we'd say Nokia found a winner.

[Via Celularis, thanks Mariano]

[capn @ May 7th 2007 2:30PM]

That WAS a great phone. *single tear*

[Gil @ May 7th 2007 2:34PM]

Nokia gave the people a phone that did exactly what it was supposed to do: be a phone. Add the fact that it's not only cheap but tough and you've obviously got a winner.

[ddaw735 @ May 7th 2007 2:43PM]

Man who hasnt had that phone.

[Rowdehaj @ May 7th 2007 3:40PM]

Roughly five billion, nine hundred ninety-nine million, eight hundred thousand people on this very Earth.

;)

[ROFLROFFLES @ May 7th 2007 2:55PM]

Great phone. One of the most reliable I had ever the pleasure of using.

Here to the the next 200 million by iphone! (just kidding)

[michael @ May 7th 2007 4:16PM]

Yeah, that's funny. Everybody knows that the iPhone won't probaly won't reach 200 million until at least a century from now. That's considering if we're talking about the current original iPhone here.

[mp4020 @ May 7th 2007 2:57PM]

Ah man this brings back memories! I remember having a 1100 as my very first cell phone. I thought it was the best thing out there. It was a great phone! (You can still buy it in some places) My razr now makes it look "fat" almost.

[Beau Giles @ May 7th 2007 3:01PM]

I had that phone when I studied abroad in Hong Kong and my locked US phone wouldn't work. It's a simple, cheap and effective phone for making calls and texting, but absolutely nothing else.

[OiD @ May 7th 2007 3:04PM]

I've never seen this model, but I'm in Spain. I really like the design! I miss my 3210 :*)

[Jonathan B @ May 7th 2007 3:09PM]

I love my 1100, it's still lying on my desk waiting to be used again...

Do these sales figures also include the 1101,1110,1111 and 1112 models that were released for specific networks? If not, the sales should even be a little higher.

Nice one Nokia.

[Shaun @ May 7th 2007 3:11PM]

Those phones are very popular in India, they marketed them there as phones 'made for India', don't know if that's true though.

[Pete @ May 7th 2007 3:19PM]

Uninspiring? It has a battery life (for my typical usage) measured in WEEKS instead of mere hours!

[Stevemax @ May 7th 2007 3:20PM]

Digg it: http://www.digg.com/gadgets/The_best_selling_cell_phone_in_the_world_200_million_units

[apeguero @ May 7th 2007 3:27PM]

It's the Lindsey Lohan of Cell Phones :) No explanation needed right?

[Rowdehaj @ May 7th 2007 3:31PM]

It's like the Nokia 3310 ... all over again!

Go Scandinavia!

[Vilppi @ May 8th 2007 2:53AM]

Sorry Rowdehaj, check again. Finland is not actually a part of Scandinavia :)
And just to stay even slightly on topic, I have to say that I never really liked Nokia's products but I have bought three of these.

[paloooz @ May 7th 2007 3:42PM]

So the world's population is 6,001,800,000?

RTFA.

[paloooz @ May 7th 2007 3:44PM]

Well, there goes my dignity.

5,999,800,000 + 2,000,000 = 6,001,800,000

But I meant:

5,999,800,000 + 200,000,000 = 6,199,800,000

Point is, RTFA, 200 million, not 200 thousand.

[Rowdehaj @ May 7th 2007 5:51PM]

IN addition to my latest comment, is it not reasonable to assume that, given the current rate of population growth, roughly 5.999.800.000 people will never have had this phone? Besides, I said 'roughly', so an error marging of ... 199 million 800 thousand should be reasonable :p

[AJ @ May 7th 2007 3:50PM]

I have that phone right now! For my light usage, it's great -- small, somewhat indestructible, plus whenever shiny new phones come out, I can always point, laugh, and ask why those phones don't have a flashlight like the 1100.

[Bazza @ May 7th 2007 4:16PM]

and yet where are all the celebrities crooning over its success?

my dad has one and its definitely a keeper.

[bob @ May 7th 2007 4:48PM]

i was trying to get my mum to swap my phone for her 1100 for ages even though mine had a colour screen and cost 3 times as much.

[mdnetguru @ May 7th 2007 4:50PM]

I wish my new motorola had half the interface speed and battery life as this old phone.

[Crazylink @ May 7th 2007 4:58PM]

I loved that phone and I wouldn't mind getting another. It could have had a bit more storage space for the ringtone maker though.

[Mithun @ May 7th 2007 5:07PM]

this IS the phone. These days phones have gone from being phones to everything else. If you're looking for something to make/receive calls & txt msg and dont care a $h!t about anything else, this phone is beautiful .... AND it has a flashlight!

[CarrotAndStick @ May 7th 2007 5:19PM]

Yes, this was the 'Made in India- Made for India' phone. El cheapo pone, did everything that it promised, LED flashlight including.

[Rowdehaj @ May 7th 2007 5:41PM]

Ehm, minor oopsie in the reading-things-properly department... there goes my attempt at sounding clever!

Well, in my defense, people were talking about hundreds of thousands around me at the time.

I'm surprised I managed to pull it off at all! :P ;)

[GeeForce @ May 7th 2007 5:56PM]

My friend used to have one, until her parents got her a RAZR for christmas. She still maintains that the Nokia is the best phone she's ever used (including when friends let her use theirs).

[asc99c @ May 7th 2007 5:58PM]

It's clearly a great phone. Small, great battery life and simple for use as a phone. I'm not sure why anyone would be surprised at the success of this. Loads of people prefer these attributes over a rubbish camera and a rubbish music player. Loads of people just want a cheap phone. Loads of people can only afford a cheap phone.

[Rob @ May 7th 2007 5:59PM]

That phone was and still is amazing. I have it in my pocket right now and use it everyday. I would have to say its been the most rock solid phone I have owned. Even after it went through the washing machine in my jeans, it still put up a fight. Plus when anyone started showing off their new phone, I would always awe them because nobody could compete with a built in flashlight. A truly remarkable piece of equipment.

[tekdroid @ May 7th 2007 6:22PM]

I like me a good monochrome LCD that can he seen clearly in the sunlight without squinting. I have never used this phone, though. Released in 2003? That's some staying power.

[Bla� @ May 7th 2007 6:33PM]

i bought this phone for my grandma and it stopped working after just 3 days. It would freeze up when someone called you or it would freeze when you tried calling somebody. So I returned it and bought her a Ericsson T68, she still has it today :)

[kungfumaniac @ May 7th 2007 6:57PM]

This is the phone of choice in Kenya nd Sudan.

[Daniel @ May 7th 2007 6:58PM]

I had that phone for over 3 years, it suffered endless anger discharges, uncountable stair fallings, thousands of coke, water, etc dives and the thing didnt even got scratched, unfortunately, my work demanded me a better phone, capable of wap browsing, so I had to let him sleep in a drawer.
That's what I call a reliable gadget, not like those new fancy N series that you have to take care as if they where your children.
I have yet to see a new generation phone that is capable to compete with this great model.

[BandB @ May 7th 2007 7:05PM]

Had it, Loved it, very small too,not just thin.

Once it fell off the roof of my car, got run over. Poped the battery back in and it still worked.

I

[jmil @ May 7th 2007 7:16PM]

That phone boasts one of the best battery lives ever. Let me tell you that I live in a small South American country called Uruguay, and these phones together with the Motorola c115 are still by far the most popular ones around. Albeit this, new GSM phone frenzy has already invaded our small nation...

[Waitupasec @ May 7th 2007 7:46PM]

EVERYBODY in India has this phone.

[gonzalo @ May 7th 2007 9:26PM]

i still have
talking half a hour and a lot of sms every day, the battery lasts for a WEEK.

[J. Vicuña @ May 7th 2007 11:11PM]

That phone is just amazing. It can survive everything. I literally threw mine on the wash/dry cycle, and still works today (My grandma is using it). Right now, by office orders, I'm using a L7 and a E1 (Please, don't ask). I still want my 1100 back.

[nikster @ May 7th 2007 11:39PM]

this one is awesome - nobody beats Nokia in the low price segment. others may cost just as little, but this one is a great, great phone, durable, easy to use, does everything it needs to do. in addition, the design is a classic. it looks nice.

aw if only Nokias smart phones were as good.

[John M. @ May 7th 2007 11:41PM]

I still have one:

http://www.net10-store.com/direct/net10/itemdetl.jsp?prod=2630&tech=GSM4

Only costs me $15 a month.

[John @ May 8th 2007 4:25AM]

I bought one of these a year or two ago at Schipol airport in .NL. Needed a euro wide phone and was in a hurry. Got robbed but sometimes a single call is all you need.

That phone is in my sons toychest now but I bet I could plug it in and it'd start right up..

Thanks Nokia.

[belthur @ May 8th 2007 10:02AM]

Most popular phone in India. Indians like products which can withstand rough use, less maintainance and doesn't cost a fortune and most people just need a phone. This fits the bill perfectly. Good job Nokia.

[Orpheus @ May 8th 2007 7:55PM]

I've got a Sony Ericsson cheapo one and the joystick's almost completely gone, texting is slow, microphone's screwed (so i can only text), there's dust under the screen.......thank god for Nokia

[poin @ May 18th 2007 3:50AM]

I never had this specific phone but I did have a 3310.
That was also a great phone.

Damn!
How I miss it.
It was also a survivor.
Went through a lot.
Had that phone for 4 years.

My current phone of 3.5 years now is the Z600.
Also a phone that takes abuse and I mean a lot of abuse.

Battery is starting to suck though so I'll need to upgrade soon.
So not looking forward to that.
All the phones nowadays look like they'll break if I clench my first.

Except maybe the K800i.
At least that looks like a phone should.
Thick and sturdy, not thin and fragile.

[Jim Williams @ May 18th 2007 2:55PM]

I have one of these. I used it with tracfone. It still works. I however have a camera phone now. And am thinking about upgrading to a Motorola Q. Man, do you remember those old Motorola large flip phones? I used to have one of those. And I am only 29.