2003

There was a time when Nokia was numero uno, and we got there by doing things our own way. So when the “silver clam shell” craze – initiated by our competitors – swept through the mobile phone industry, Nokia leadership had little interest in following the trend. Any folding Nokia had to be unique – it had to be done our way.

The 2650 was one of our first folding phones, and evolved from a side project of mine to invent a new folding mechanism that would be unique to Nokia. The mechanism uses a hidden “living” hinge, an over-center spring, and a flexible inner facade. The functional effect was half way between bending and folding, and it was very simple and inexpensive to manufacture. Because of its cost advantages, it was a natural for products designed for the BRICA markets.

The 2650 won a Reddot Design Award, and an IDSA Silver Award in 2004, earned several design and utility patents and was sold globally.