What were mobile phones like in the 1980s?

If Stranger Things has taught younger audiences anything, it’s that the 1980s were, at the very least, odd. Kids cycled around unsupervised, adults smoked indoors and technology looked like it had been designed without any clear idea of where it was all heading. Phones were very much part of that picture.

Before mobiles slipped neatly into our pockets and touchscreens became second nature, having a phone was more of a statement than a convenience. In the 80’s, a mobile phone was something you carried with effort, as early models weighed close to a kilogram, had long antennas sticking out of them and were roughly the size of a brick (yep, thus the term “brick phone”).

If someone had pulled one of those out on the street, it would’ve looked like something vaguely official was about to happen because mobile phones were business tools. Minutes were expensive, coverage was limited and call quality was, at best, unpredictable.

Some of the most recognisable mobile phones of the 1980s include the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X, often cited as the first commercially available handheld mobile phone, approved in 1983. It weighed close to a kilogram, offered around 30 minutes of talk time and took hours to recharge. Slightly later came models like the Motorola DynaTAC 8500X and early transportable phones designed mainly for cars, such as the Mobira Senator by Nokia, which was closer to a briefcase than a handset. These devices were built for professionals and priced accordingly. If someone owned one, chances were they were in management, worked in a field that genuinely needed it or simply used it as representation of their status.

There were no screens in the modern sense. Just basic displays showing a number, maybe a couple of symbols. No text messages, no internet, no camera, no games. If someone didn’t answer your call, that was it. You got no notifications and no follow-up messages. From today’s perspective, it almost sounds unreal.

Phones from the 1980s represent a time when technology was present, but not dominant. We had the bulky tech, the analogue feel and a world without constant alerts. That’s partly why the aesthetic works so well in shows like The Carrie Diaries, Stranger Things and American Horror Story.

Looking back at those early mobile phones, it’s hard not to appreciate how far things have come. Today’s smartphones are smaller, faster and capable of things that would’ve sounded ridiculous back then. And yet, there’s still something oddly appealing about those old devices. Maybe it’s the simplicity. Maybe it’s the fact that technology didn’t demand constant attention. Or maybe they just look good on screen with a synth-heavy soundtrack in the background.

Either way, without those heavy, awkward phones from the 1980s, we wouldn’t have the sleek smartphones we now treat as completely normal.