From Zack Morris to Steve Jobs: The evolution of the cell phone
The big news in the cellular world this week is AT&T’s purchase of T-Mobile, and that sent us down Memory Lane. Our cup of nostalgia certainly runneth over.
That was, of course, before the emergence of touch screens; cameras; SMS texting; multi-billion-dollar mobile buyouts; Bluetooth; hand-held devices smarter than their users; on-the-go Web browsing; and anything that ever slid, flipped, or had its own keyboard.
How’d we ever survive on 1G?
From the Zack Morris to the Steve Jobs, we take a look back.
1983-84: Motorola DynaTAC. “Saved by the Bell” would have never been the same.
(Image via)
1989: Motorola MicroTAC. Let there be flip!
(Image via)
1996: Motorola StarTAC. Back in the mid-’90s, people thought clam-shaped contraptions were meant for Disney characters’ bras—and then came this phone.
(Image via)
1998: Nokia 5110. I still hear the sound of mallrats ringing their parents to come pick them up.
(Image via)
Become a Ragan Insider member to read this article and all other archived content.
Sign up today
Already a member? Log in here.
Learn more about Ragan Insider.
