Mobile Phone
In the late 1990s, mobile phones became popular in Bangladesh. The original phones were significantly larger than any phone available today. The phone had an antenna on top, and they were difficult to transport due to their weight. These were formally known as “brick phones.” A phone could only be used to make one thing: calls. However, these phones were rather expensive, and owning such a modest mobile phone at the time was considered quite prestigious. These phones are no longer available on the market.
Phones with Special Functions
Then, at the turn of the twentieth century, came the somewhat wiser “bar phones” or “feature phones.” They are also referred to as “button phones” in Bangladesh. Text messaging, MMS, polyphonic ringtones, FM radio, a 3.5 mm port, simple games, Bluetooth, and a low-quality back camera were all available on these phones. Feature phones quickly acquired popularity among Bangladeshis. In Bangladesh, entry-level feature phones were more expensive than first-generation mobile phones but provided many more features. Because technology was progressing quicker, the market was expanding, and new brands offered fresh ideas and services. MP3 ringtones, MP3 players, movies, internet access via WAP, and other capabilities appeared in later generations of feature phones. At the time, the Finnish brand Nokia was the sole leader in the feature phone market. Phones such as the Nokia 3310, 1100, 1110, 3210, 6600, and 2600 dominated the local and global scene. There are now many more brands offering high-quality products at reasonable prices. However, Nokia remains the most trustworthy brand in this category. Samsung is another trustworthy brand for bar phone buyers who appreciate consistent quality and durability.
Smartphones
The first generation of smartphones hit the market in the mid-twentieth century. Nokia maintained its dominance with its N series handsets. BlackBerry was another well-known brand during the first-generation smartphone era. There was still no touchscreen, apps, or anything else, and those devices couldn’t do anything. Access to the internet was gradually becoming more popular, but before the 3G network debuted in Bangladesh in 2012, it was only possible via a significantly slower GPRS technology. The initial generation of smartphones was beautifully designed, with better camera quality and more internal storage. The major functions of those devices were to store images, MP3 audio files, MP4 or video files, numerous ringtones, mobile themes, and so on, in addition to making 2G calls, sending SMS, and MMS.
Smartphones based on Android
HTC released the HTC Dream, the first commercial Android phone, at the end of 2008. Within a year, Android began to change the market completely. Although Apple iPhones with iOS, Nokia’s Symbian, or BlackBerry OS phones were available, Android phones gained the lead with their unique Android store apps and the many options these apps provided. After the launch of the 3G network in Q4 2012, Android phones gained popularity in Bangladesh. Symphony and Samsung were the leading brands in this Southeast Asian country during the early days of Android. Android had a 70.93% global smartphone market share and a 95.72% market share in Bangladesh as of March 2023. Apple’s iOS was in second place, with a global market share of 28.37% and a Bangladesh market share of 3.81%. StatCounter (source)
More information is available at BLACK SHOP.
Mobile devices can be found on BLACK SHOP.com by brand, price range, etc. A blog area is also available to keep you updated on the newest developments in the mobile phone sector. You can also look at our Where to buy page to get a sense of other purchasing options.