Samsung Z310: The Feature Phone that Pioneered Video Telephony
The year was 2006. Flip phones were all the rage, and Samsung released one of its most innovative devices - the Samsung Z310. This sleek and stylish feature phone may have been overshadowed by smartphones in later years, but it made a lasting impact on the mobile phone market with its advanced video telephony capability.
The Launch of the Z310
Samsung announced the Z310 in February 2006, and it was launched with much anticipation. Its release date marked the beginning of a new era for feature phones. With its compact dimensions of only 89 x 48 x 23 mm and a weight of 105g, the Z310 was designed to be portable and convenient.
Design and Display
The Z310 boasted a stylish design, with a sleek silver color option. It had a crisp TFT display with 256K colors, giving users a vibrant viewing experience. The phone's 2.0 inch screen had a resolution of 176 x 220 pixels, making it perfect for watching videos or playing games.
Storage and Camera
For a feature phone, the Z310 had an impressive storage capacity of 50MB. And in case that wasn't enough, users could expand their storage with a microSD card. The phonebook could hold up to 1000 entries, and it also had a photocall feature. Users could access their last 20 dialed, received, and missed calls with ease.
The Z310 also came equipped with a 1 MP main camera and an LED flash. While it may not seem like much compared to today's standards, this camera was considered top-of-the-line for its time and allowed users to capture precious memories.
Connectivity and Features
The Z310 supported 2G and 3G bands, with a speed of 384 kbps for browsing the internet. It also had Bluetooth for convenient file sharing and messaging options such as SMS, MMS, and email. The phone's WAP browser allowed users to access the internet on the go.
But the most significant feature of the Z310 was its video telephony capability. This groundbreaking technology enabled users to make video calls to their friends and family, giving them a more personal way to communicate. The phone was also equipped with a video streaming feature, allowing users to watch their favorite clips on the go.
Battery and Other Specs
The Z310 came with a removable Li-Ion 950 mAh battery that provided up to 240 hours of standby time and 3 hours of talk time. It also had an MP3/AAC/AAC+ player for music lovers, predictive text input, an organizer, voice memo, and a document viewer.
The Z310 may not have had advanced sensors or positioning technology, but it had all the necessary features for a basic yet efficient phone experience.
Discontinued but Not Forgotten
After its release, the Z310 became a popular choice among users worldwide. However, with the rise of smartphones, feature phones like the Z310 were eventually discontinued. But its legacy lives on, as it laid the foundation for future mobile phone technologies such as video calling.
Overall, the Samsung Z310 may have been a simple feature phone, but it was a trailblazer in its own right. It paved the way for more advanced features and proved that a phone could be much more than just a means of communication. With its sleek design and revolutionary video telephony feature, the Z310 will always hold a special place in the history of mobile phones.
Samsung Z310 Full Specifications
Network
Technology
GSM / UMTS
2G bands
GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands
UMTS 2100
Speed
Yes, 384 kbps
Launch
Announced
2006, February
Status
Discontinued
Body
Dimensions
89 x 48 x 23 mm (3.50 x 1.89 x 0.91 in)
Weight
105 g (3.70 oz)
SIM
Mini-SIM
Display
Type
TFT, 256K colors
Size
Resolution
176 x 220 pixels, 2.0 inch
Memory
Card slot
microSD (dedicated slot)
Phonebook
1000 entries, Photocall
Call records
20 dialed, 20 received, 20 missed calls
Internal
50MB
Main Camera
Single
1 MP
Features
LED flash
Video
Yes
Selfie camera
Single
Yes
Video
Sound
Loudspeaker
Yes
Alert types
Vibration; Downloadable polyphonic ringtones
3.5mm jack
No
Comms
WLAN
No
Bluetooth
Yes
Positioning
No
Radio
No
USB
Proprietary
Features
Sensors
Messaging
SMS, MMS, Email
Browser
WAP 2.0/xHTML
Games
Powerinlinex, TheLastAge + downloadable
Java
Yes, MIDP 2.0
Other
Video telephony & streaming
MP3/AAC/AAC+ player
Predictive text input
Organizer
Voice memo
Document viewer (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF)