Last Updated on April 27, 2025 by Colby Droscher
Before smartphones literally took over our pockets, early cellphones were these dinosaur-like cellphones that were clunky, all kinds of quirky, and really just surprisingly forgettable in the best ways. From their absurdly long antennas to their batteries that were the size of bricks, these devices were far more functional relics than just mere fashion statements.
We’re now going to take a look at 15 things in particular that most of us have all but forgotten about the early cellphones. Smartphones just make it so easy to forget about the cellphones of days since passed.
1. They were actually ridiculously expensive
How about that? You’d think that this wouldn’t have been the case, yet here we are. The early mobile phones in the 1980s could end up costing what would be the equivalent of $3,000-$4,000 today. They served as a status symbol just as much as they did as a communication tool.
2. Battery life was abysmal at best
First-gen phones were out there sporting about 30 minutes of talk time. They also took 10 hours to charge. Carrying a backup battery or car charger on your person was exceedingly common.
3. Coverage could be quite spotty
Before there were national networks, service was limited to major cities only. You could lose a signal just by walking around the block.
4. They were monster-sized and heavy at that
The Motorola DynaTAC 8000X weighed almost 2 pounds. You didn’t carry it in your pocket, you carried it in a bag.
5. No such things as texting, apps, or internet
Cellphones were strictly intended for calls. Even voicemails weren’t guaranteed in the early models.
6. The antenna pull-out was a ritual
Most of the early phones required that you manually extend an antenna to pick up better reception. That is not the kind of ritual that one would find oneself looking forward to. At all, for that matter.
7. Calls were per minute and also expensive
Users would be charged by the minute, and then rates could skyrocket as high as 50 cents to a dollar per minute.
8. Analog signals were easy to intercept
With a simple scanner, anyone would be able to eavesdrop on your calls. No encryption, nor privacy.
9. Roaming was a waking nightmare
To call outside your local area required massive roaming charges. These sometimes came without any warning.
10. You had to register with the FCC
Early mobile phone owners were required to register their device’s serial number to avoid any instances of cloning and also fraud.
11. “Cellphone” meant one per car or per person
Car phones were much more common before handhelds were. Many of the early phones were actually wired into the vehicles.
12. There was no caller ID
You often really had no idea who was calling you unless you happened to recognize the voice. And then were was also the matter of no voicemail transcription either.
13. They were stolen for their value and not for their data
Before smartphones were around, phones were actually stolen for their hardware value. Never were they stolen for their personal info.
14. Ringtones were basic, or outright nonexistent
The best you could hope to get would be a monotonous beep or a chirp. There was no possibility of being able to download your favorite song.
15. They had external, physical keypads only
There were no touchscreens. Instead, just a chunky keypad that actually felt much more like a TV remote than a sleek device.
Need more retro tech vibes? Scroll our 10 Retro Gadgets from the 80s That Predicted Modern Technology, time-jump to living-room gadgets in 20 Gadgets We Thought Were the Future, But Totally Weren’t or 20 Forgotten Inventions That Were Way Ahead of Their Time.
