The prototype image of Nokia N95 was killed by HMD

Do you remember the legendary Nokia N95 phone? This Symbian slider was once a design pinnacle in the pre-iPhone era. Many of its features such as internet connection and touchscreen are still so useful that in Mr. channel’s “When Phones were fun” video series Mobile, YouTuber Michael Fisher says he still doesn’t feel uncomfortable using it at the moment.

More specifically, in his latest video commemorating a legend of the tech industry, this YouTuber had in his hand a prototype of the Nokia N95 that HMD had intended to revive but later canceled.

Not using the candy bar shape with the same slide-up mechanism as before, this prototype uses a sliding sideways design to reveal the camera and speaker cluster below the screen. This design is similar to the previous HTC 7 Surround. In addition, the camera cluster on the back is also surrounded by a metal ring that acts as a support for the phone when placed horizontally.

Unfortunately this is just a prototype and doesn’t work at all so it’s unclear if it has any special function.

The back of the Nokia N95 that HMD plans to revive

This revival of the Nokia N95 legend has also been a strategy for HMD in recent years, re-launching many of Nokia’s famous devices – the same is being done by Motorola at the launch of the Razr. folding screen. All to make a difference between a forest of smartphones with today’s similar designs. To do this, LG even recently released the LG Wing, a smartphone with a touchscreen display that swivels horizontally.

However, with the original design of the Nokia N95, it may be difficult for HMD to revive a thick and lumpy device with sliding keyboard in today’s thin and simple smartphone era. As for the design of the current prototype, it does not have any of the old N95 tone, as well as has many similarities with HTC’s previous smartphone, it is difficult for it to appeal to nostalgic people.

Perhaps this is the reason why HMD finally died with its intention of reviving this phone.

Refer to Engadget