Phones in the 1980s
Picture this: a mobile phone that tips the scales at nearly 5 kilograms, boasts the dimensions of a briefcase, and comes with a price tag of R75,000 in today’s currency. It may sound unbelievable, but that’s what early tech pioneers had to contend with back in the 1980s when mobile phones were in their infancy.
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A Glimpse into History
As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first-ever mobile phone call made on January 1, 1985, by Vodafone in the UK, it’s fascinating to look back at the devices that marked the dawn of the mobile era. Vodafone has kindly provided a glimpse into history by revealing the initial phones it offered to consumers.
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The VM1: A Pioneer in Mobile Communication
One standout from that era was the VM1, a relic from 1985 that weighed a whopping 4.9 kilograms. Its price tag at the time was £1,475, which, when adjusted for inflation, would translate to a staggering £4,141 today.
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The VM1: Not So Mobile
What’s intriguing is that the VM1, while classified as a mobile phone, wasn’t truly mobile in the modern sense. It was designed to be permanently installed in a car. The hefty base unit was securely affixed to the car’s trunk or on the rear parcel shelf. The actual phone unit was placed in the front of the vehicle, typically in front of the dashboard or within the armrest.
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The VT1: Slightly Lighter, Yet Still a Challenge
While the VM1 marked the company’s initial foray into the market, another groundbreaking device, the Transportable Vodafone VT1, made its debut around the same time during the January 1985 network launch. Weighing in at 4.7 kilograms, it was slightly lighter than the VM1 by 200 g.
The Challenge of Charging
However, there was a catch. To enjoy a mere 30 minutes of talk time, users had to endure a lengthy 10-hour charging process. Interestingly, the VT1 offered the flexibility to charge either within the car or outside, depending on the supplementary kit selected by the user, as highlighted by Vodafone.
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The Motorola 8000X: “The Brick”
The journey toward modern mobile phones can be traced back to the Motorola 8000X, launched by Vodafone in March 1985. Affectionately nicknamed “The Brick” by its users, this device gained fame when it appeared in the 1987 Hollywood blockbuster Wall Street, wielded by Michael Douglas. Astonishingly, it commanded a price tag of £2,995 at the time, equivalent to a staggering £8,409 (over R150,000) in today’s currency.
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Other pioneering devices
Among other early mobile phones was the VPI Citiphone, priced at £1,875 (£5,264 adjusted). This quirky device would play “God Save the Queen” when the user pressed 001 on the keypad and Chopin’s “Funeral March” if it ever experienced a malfunction.
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Furthermore, there was the Nokia Cityman 1320, marking Nokia’s entry into portable phones in the late 1980s. Weighing a mere 0.75 kilograms, this pioneering device would have cost an early adopter nearly £5,000 (approximately R90,000) in today’s money, making it an exclusive and sought-after device of its time.