Nokia 9000 Communicator: Handy-Klotz aus Finnland: So begann die Smartphone-Ära

Nokia's 9000 Communicator, weighing only 400 grams and four centimeters thick, featured a computer-like keyboard and a monochrome display as it marked the beginning of smartphones' golden era 30 years ago. Produced by Nokia, a leading mobile market player from Finland, the Nokia 9000 Communicator served as a precursor to modern smartphones, albeit lacking in sophistication compared to today's devices.

Its introduction was indeed a miniature revolution; Arto Koskinen, a filmmaker and author of the documentary "Nokia Mobile - We Were Connecting People," proudly stated, "We were proud of this device because it was a combination of computer and phone."

The dream of a mobile office became a reality with the communicator's promise to handle office tasks on the go - a promise it made with a sleek design and essential features like fax and email sending/receiving, an address book, and a calendar. Although early adopters were primarily managers and executives, it was a status symbol that few could afford, priced at 2,700 marks for a piece of the future, equipped with an 8 MB internal memory and a 640 by 200-pixel display without a SIM card.

"Mobile phones were almost as expensive as a new car at the dawn of the 90s," Arto Koskinen lamented. "And the Communicator remained a pricey device for the average user despite gradual price reductions."

At a Las Vegas expo, Bill Gates caught a glimpse of the Communicator, sparking excitement among Microsoft's developers. "A small team from Microsoft visited our booth and wanted to see the Communicator, not other phones, just the Communicator," Lauri Hirvonen, a former development manager, recounted in the documentary "Nokia Mobile - We Were Connecting People."

"We demonstrated its functionality and answered their questions. The next day, two returned - accompanied by Bill Gates." This led to Microsoft purchasing numerous Communicators. Yet, the glory days ended as Nokia transitioned from market leader to a declining phase. Arto Koskinen recalls, "Nokia's idea was to produce various types of phones for diverse users, which worked well initially.

However, when Apple released a device for everyone in 2007 without a touchscreen, Nokia missed the opportunity." The demise of Nokia's mobile division can be attributed to various factors, including wrong management decisions, outdated software, less emphasis on research, and higher production costs. For many Finns, this period was traumatic, as Nokia was a part of their identity, Arto Koskinen noted.

Today, few outside Finland remember the Nokia 9000 Communicator. However, in Finland, they remain somewhat proud of having revolutionized the mobile communication industry decades ago.