Nokia 9000 Communicator (1996)

The Nokia Communicator introduced an entirely new type of mobile phone design (no one could stop Nokia’s design experimentation during this time). The sideways clamshell flip phone design would be used many times in the future, but this was the first model sold to consumers and is often considered the first true smartphone made available for the average buyer.

In addition to making calls, the mini-keyboard and onboard storage allowed users to send emails, send faxes, look through contact information, and even browse the internet – with some patience.