As we bid farewell to the once great platform, we look back at 5 Symbian handsets which showcased the platform’s versatility and technological advancements at that time. So sit tight ‘cause we’re here to take you for a nostalgic ride.
During its reign in the mobile platform world, there were a lot of note-worthy Symbian handsets that caught our attention and our hard-earned money. And while most of these smartphones possessed great all-around features, some handsets stood out among the pack because it excelled in a certain aspect.
Nokia N-Gage QD (Gaming) – This game-and-watch-looking handset is the successor to the first N-Gage handset released back in 2003. And while it wasn’t as successful as the Finnish company hoped it’ll be (mainly because of insufficient game titles), it proved to the world that decent gaming on a smartphone is possible given the right tools.
Nokia PureView 808 (Imaging) – The last of its kind, the Nokia PureView 808 is the culmination of Nokia’s years of expertise in the imaging aspect of the smartphone. But because the phone was released during the time when Symbian’s era is coming to a close, the phone didn’t appeal that much to consumers. Still, this handset will go down in history as the first smartphone to feature a 40+MP sensor.
Nokia E7 (Communication) – The combination of a sizeable touchscreen display and QWERTY keyboard could’ve made this handset a viable option for BlackBerry phones. But sadly, just like the Pureview 808, the Nokia E7 was released at the time when Symbian days were numbered, making it a tough buy for consumers.
Nokia XpressMusic 5800 (Audio) – Other than camera, Nokia was also known in the past for their handsets with superb sound quality. Topping our list is the high-end of the three XpresMusic phones, the 5800 which, as its product name implies, is made to deliver aural pleasure to its user.
Sony-Ericsson P990i (Display) – We wanted to include a non-Nokia handset that showcases the other form of Symbian and the first thing that came to mind is this dual-keyboard handset from the Sony-Ericsson’s stable. But more than anything else, the P990i made our list because it laid some of the foundation for touchscreen phones that we know and love today.
So that’s a wrap for our Symbian smartphone list, hope you guys enjoyed it. If you’re fortunate to have used (or still using) one of these handsets or other Jurassic Symbian handsets, we hope you can share your experience below.
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Niki says:
What a senseless post. The NGage was a massive failure. And the 5800 while a sales success just pushed Symbian further back in the touchscreen game. Where’s the E71? The N95?
Kikokix says:
Gawa ka sarili mong blog tapos mag post ka din ng Top 5 Symbian Smartphones in history.
someone says:
Try to use your head and understand the article. The phones listed here were not picked because they sold x number of units, but because they are the best in their own category (gaming, audio, etc)
Where’s E71? It’s below Nokia e7 and e72. Given the 5 categories found in this article, where would the N95 fall under?
aie says:
Count N73 in \m/
pedrosantosjr says:
Agree with Niki. This is a horrible list. The 5800, really? At the very least, this should have included the E71, N95. To round it off to 5, I’d throw in the PureView 808, the E90 Communicator, and the E7.
Name: says:
I think the Nokia 9500 and E71 should be on that list.
Miguel says:
Nokia 9500 and E71 should be on that list. Well, at least on my list.
don says:
gusto ko yung nokia ngage dati astig yan pang gaming gand a ng style….
pedrosantosjr says:
Here is a much better list from PCMag posted a couple of weeks ago (which I suspect is the inspiration for this post anyway): http://www.pcmag.com/slideshow/story/307321/the-10-best-symbian-phones-ever
YugaMuga says:
Honestly, the Nokia N95 and the Nokia N70 should be on this list. They were the Symbian “groundbreakers” if you will.
NomNom says:
Me too and still using My N95 8g as back up phone. it never put me down, despite of the new era.. I have those ngage qd. p99i, and n70 but there are my collection now. An Era where you can play Gba nor Gbc….. Pokemon lover <3
gadget_geek says:
How about the N95? or N6600? I think they should be included in the list.
Mobile Gadget Lab says:
Top 5? Or Top 1 only? Nokia 808 Pureview
Alex says:
I bought an SE P1i, which is the successor to the P990i. I got it for 24k in 2007 and I’m still using it as an alternate phone.
solidnokia says:
no love for N70? Seriously? Yugatech ba talaga to? :))
Andrew says:
I believe N95 should be on the list. It’s my best phone and longest i have used. Honestly my boss still use it today. He purchased a dell streak but still goes back to N95.
Alec says:
This is a very ignorant and amateurish article at best. Walang alam sa history ng Symbian yung sumulat nito.
boxingfan25 says:
what a very disrespectful post, dick. try writing your own blog. ronnie’s trying his best.
lolwut says:
Bakit wala dito yung Sony Ericsson P1? Mas di hamak namang maganda yun kesa sa P990…
Ronnie Bulaong says:
“And while most of these smartphones possessed great all-around features (Nokia N95, and the other handsets you guys pointed out), SOME HANDSETS STOOD OUT AMONG THE PACK BECAUSE IT EXCELLED IN A CERTAIN ASPECT.”
Jay says:
i would include the Nokia 7650 in this list. I believe that was the first Symbian phone and also the first one with a built-in camera
noodleboss says:
naalala ko ung QD ko, minahal ko un ng 2 years sir, very good phone un that time! dun ko na-enjoy ung The One na game. and true, kulang nga lang talaga sa game titles…
goodha67 says:
“the P990i made our list because it laid some of the foundation for touchscreen phones that we know and love today.”
I beg to disagree. Without the success of the SE p800, there would be no foundation. Every succeeding model is an improvement of the previous model. (just my opinion).
Michael says:
I think the guy made the post didn’t make any survey first. N70 must be on the list, you don’t know how powerful is N70 once it was released. Many internet users tweaked N70 to placed a free internet connection. Also, games from Ngage games we’re able to play on N70.
Kai says:
The writer is an idiot, period. Where’s the iconic E71? The P990i, was released months after it was announced and failed because of its middling RAM. It effectively killed off UIQ. Listing the E7 ahead of the E90? The 5800 just because it has “XpressMusic” in its name? There’s other Symbian phones that produces better audio.
Laurence Beruin says:
Where’s N95 (Best Feature-packed Symbian of its Time) and N82(Best Symbian Cameraphone ever)? Darn!
mayaka says:
Same here. Where’s the Nokia N95? Nokia N95 is definitely the best Symbian smartphone in its time.
astral says:
Where’s my well-beloved Nokia N70 / Nokia N70 Music Edition? The N70 is definitely one of the most popular Symbian smartphones due to its awesome small size and good camera with flash. I used N70 during college and it’s a decent smartphone that could replace my camera whenever I forgot to bring it.
someone says:
To those whining that their phones were not listed, try to understand that the 5 devices were chosen because they are the best OR they made an impact in their particular category. It really is not based on the number of units sold.
Shinigami says:
Where is the 6600 and N95? They’re more successful than N-Gage QD
Iyan Sommerset says:
N6600 needs to be there. I’d say that was the first one that brought Symbian to the masses.
CJ Roberto says:
I still have my 5800 XpressMusic with me. :)
gboydroid says:
n70 all the wayyyyyyyyyyy
RedSimba says:
Nokia 7650
Age of camera phone feature
Zo says:
+1
I really think it was the 7650 that put the spotlight on camera phones and even mobile browsing :)
darryl says:
my phone is nokia 5800 xpressmusic. regarding yung sa sinabi niyong maganda sa audio at camera, it is the first symbian phone na touchscreen. hanggang ngayon ginagamit ko pa din to. and to be honest, napalungkot ako sa balita noon na mawawala ang symbian.
Rosenburg says:
Bought N70 for 21k would you believe? N96, for 32k, 5800 for 20k. Now i realized why i spend so much with those phones.
MrsHoeving says:
My N70 is still working in good condition >_< pa18th bday pa yun ni father dear sakin mag 5yrs na this year, in fact it is my phone today while waiting for my new phone after magretire si 3GS ko..And I can say mas gusto ko gamitin pang txt si N70 kasi hindi ako natatakid kahit magtxt habang naglalakad…
meow says:
The pureview 808 is still the best in the camera phone category. Not even iPhone5 or Lumia 902 can beat it. Watch out the pureview is coming to the Lumia series.