The best retro phones and their modern equivalents

Mobile phones have been a staple of everyday life for the past quarter century, with Apple and Samsung now reigning kings of the modern-day handset. But we’re not here to look ahead, we’re here to look back at the retro mobile phones of times gone by.

In this article, we’ll take a look at some older, but not forgotten, retro mobile phones and let you know which more recent models will let you hold on to that little bit of nostalgia.

Nokia 2760

Everyone loves a flip phone. The satisfying feeling of snapping it closed after a phone call is hard to beat with a modern phone.

The Nokia 2760 was the first flip phone introduced in 2007 and was one of the most popular mobile phones in the late 2000s. It had a battery life of up to 14 days on standby and measured at less than 10cm when closed, perfect for even the smallest of pockets.

If you’re feeling nostalgic for the days of the flip phone, why not make your next phone a giffgaff refurbished Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4? While it folds the opposite way to the Nokia 2760 (vertically instead of horizontally) this homage to a classic cult phone is still just as satisfying to snap closed.

HTC One

The HTC One was first launched in 2013 and was considered revolutionary at the time due to its premium design and high-quality audio system. The HTC One came with lots of innovative features for the time like dual front-facing speakers and a 1080p full-HD display, putting it firmly on our cult phones list.

If you’re looking for a phone with a great sound system, try the giffgaff refurbished Google Pixel 6 Pro. Google phones are known for their excellent screens and sound systems, but the 6 Pro’s sound system holds up even against the later Google models.

Motorola RAZR V3

The hot pink Motorola Razr V3 will be an iconic moment in time forever. It was also available in black, but that’s not nearly as exciting. Despite its fun exterior, the Motorola Razr V3 was considered a mid-range flip phone for its time, as the software was very standard. However, it doesn’t stop us from remembering it fondly.

If you want your next phone to be a standard, but very reliable piece of tech, try out the giffgaff refurbished iPhone SE. You’ll get a touch of nostalgia with a throw-back home button, but all the perks of modern-day mobile phone technology.

BlackBerry

At one point, it seemed like every person on earth owned a BlackBerry. The early 2010s were the height of this cult phone’s popularity, and for good reason. The BlackBerry’s main novelty point was its physical QWERTY keyboard, a stark change from the alphanumeric keypad of previous mobile phones.

Modern mobile phones with a physical QWERTY keyboard are hard to come by, but if you’re longing for the nostalgic feeling of a physical keypad on your phone, give the Nokia 215 a go. It’s perfect if you’re looking to cut down on how much you use your phone, plus, its small size means it takes up half the space of a more recent smartphone model.

Shop your retro mobile phone look on giffgaff

Whether you’re looking for an Apple or Android, the latest tech or something a little older, giffgaff has the perfect phone for you.

Check out our new and refurbished phones to find your next mobile phone; you can even throw in a SIM only deal as well.