The rise of throwback phones

Attendants check the new re-launched Nokia 3310 phone, during a Nokia presentation ahead of the opening of the Mobile World Congress wireless show in Barcelona, Spain, on Feb. 26. Finland-based HMD Global is re-launching the simple Nokia 3310 model along with unveiling three new devices at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. (AP/Emilio Morenatti)

At the 2017 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, last week, an interesting trend became clear: throwback phones are in. 

While devices like tablets and wearables are adapting rapidly, companies like Nokia and BlackBerry have announced that some of their newest phones will look quite familiar.  

The return of Nokia 3310

Since the Nokia 3310's release in 2000, it has become one of the most sold phones ever, with 126 million units sold worldwide. Over a decade since it was discontinued, it is coming back. 

The iconic phone is returning in both red and yellow, in addition to its original release colors, dark blue and gray. This new phone will have a camera, a voice recorder and an FM radio. According to Bloomberg, Nokia fans should not fret, as the phone will also come loaded with iconic mobile game, Snake.

Read also: 'World's first 5G smartphone' from ZTE set for 2020

The return of the QWERTY keyboard

With smartphones that are all screen, QWERTY keyboards are a thing of the past, but BlackBerry seems to think differently. The company currently announced its BlackBerry KEYone that comes with a 4.5-inch display screen will also have a QWERTY keyboard. 

Despite the nostalgic design, the phone itself is still high powered, featuring a fingerprint scanner, a programmable keyboard and a Snapdragon 625 processor. Set to be released worldwide in April, the phone's software will be powered by Android instead of BlackBerry's previous operating system. 

Read also: Facebook, Google rule US top smartphone apps list: Nielsen

The return of Motorola 

The Motorola RAZR was arguably one of the most iconic phones of the mid-2000s, if not the whole decade. However, since then, Motorola has become something of a ghost. 

After attempting to phase out the name of the brand entirely to rename it "Moto by Lenovo", Motorola has decided to jump on the throwback wagon and stick with its name. "Motorola is an iconic brand that symbolized quality and innovation, and it was a bad idea to ditch the name in the first place," said Maribel Lopez, an analyst at Lopez Research to CNET. 

With the upcoming release of the Moto Z, it is about time to see if Motorola can make a comeback. (sul/kes)

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