Thirty years ago, Nokia released a device that many now consider the first smartphone: the 9000 Communicator. According to Diario AS, the handset hit the market in 1996, and today it can be bought for tens of euros.
The phone was not cheap at launch. Multiple outlets, including FayerWayer and infobae, report that the Communicator cost more than US$2,000 at the time — roughly $2,550 in one account cited by kchcomunicacion.com. That price put it far beyond most consumers, but it also previewed features that would not become mainstream for years.
The Communicator combined a phone with a small keyboard and a screen that opened like a laptop, according to the reporting. RTVE.es notes that these early devices helped change how people communicated, laying groundwork for the mobile era that followed. Some coverage points out that the 9000 Communicator anticipated the iPhone by more than a decade, even though it lacked the touchscreen and app ecosystem that later defined modern smartphones.
What stands out now is how quickly the device’s value has fallen. A product that once cost thousands of dollars can be picked up for a few dozen euros, according to Diario AS. That drop reflects both the age of the hardware and the pace of change in mobile technology.
For collectors and tech historians, the Communicator remains a milestone worth tracking. As the 30th anniversary passes, expect renewed interest in early mobile devices and their place in the timeline of communication tech.
