August 1996
Nokia 9000 Communicator released
Nokia launched the 9000 Communicator in August 1996 — a clamshell phone that opened to reveal a QWERTY keyboard and full GeOSGraphic Environment Operating System — a GUI OS for PDAs and early smartphones like the Nokia Communicator. PDAPersonal digital assistant — a pocket device for calendar, contacts, and email before smartphones..
What it was for
The Communicator combined GSM voice with fax, email, and web browsing in one device — a blueprint for later smartphones. Executives carried them across Europe before BlackBerry conquered North American enterprise email. Mobile developers built GeOSGraphic Environment Operating System — a GUI OS for PDAs and early smartphones like the Nokia Communicator. apps and WAP services for Nokia's high-end line.
Why it's here
The 9000 Communicator was the first widely sold smartphone-form-factor device with a full keyboard and PDAPersonal digital assistant — a pocket device for calendar, contacts, and email before smartphones. software.
Why it mattered
It established the 'communicator' category that Nokia dominated for a decade.
What it solved
Mobile professionals needed phone, email, and organizer features without carrying two devices.
Media
ImageNokia 9000 Communicatortextlad, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Related
- IBM Simon Personal Communicator releasedAugust 1994
- Palm Pilot 1000 releasedMarch 1996
- BlackBerry 5810 releasedMarch 2002
- iPhone goes on saleJune 29, 2007