Nokia's Snake to headphone jacks: 6 old phone features we still miss

2000's phones had a personality. You could customise ringtones and even spin tunes to create your own: The old Nokias could let you do that. And, you could mess around with little template text messages, which could go beyond 'Hello I can't answer the phone right now.'

It gradually vanished, over time. As smartphones became thinner and smarter, many of these little details quietly disappeared. Here are six old mobile phone features, from Nokia's iconic Snake game to the beloved headphone jack, that many users still miss.

Before wireless earbuds became the norm, the humble 3.5mm headphone jack was one of the most dependable features on any phone. It simply worked: Plug in your headphones, and audio played instantly, no pairing, no charging, and you weren't worried about battery life. The analogue port sent electrical audio signals directly to wired headphones, typically via the phone's built-in digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) and amplifier, delivering consistent, low-latency sound every time.

For music lovers, gamers, and commuters, that reliability mattered. Wired headphones were immune to Bluetooth dropouts, audio compression, and the lag that can creep in when watching videos or gaming. They were also universally compatible, workingwith car stereos, home speakers, and professional audio equipment through nothing more than an inexpensive adapter.

As smartphone makers began phasing out the headphone jack, citing internal space savings, improved water resistance, and a push toward wireless accessories, users found themselves reaching for USB-C or Lightning adapters, or switching to Bluetooth headphones altogether.

Remember the days of a pink light on your phone? Those were the good days. The notification LED was a small, but surprisingly useful feature found on many older smartphones, telling users what they had missed without requiring them to unlock their device.

Usually placed near the earpiece, the LED flashed in different colours to indicate different alerts, blue or green for messages, red for low battery, and other colours for missed calls, emails or app notifications. On devices such as BlackBerry and early Android phones, users could even customise the colours and patterns.

Technically, these LEDs were simple low-power components that consumed very little battery compared with lighting up an entire display. They allowed users to check the status of their phone at a glance, even from across a room.

As smartphones moved towards edge-to-edge screens and minimalist designs, notification LEDs slowly disappeared. Today, many users miss that small, colourful signal that made their phone feel quietly alive without demanding their attention.

The built-in FM radio was a simple feature that let users tune into local stations anytime, without needing Wi-Fi, mobile data or a subscription.

Many feature phones and early smartphones came with an FM receiver chip that picked up traditional broadcast signals directly from nearby radio stations. Moreover, wired headphones often acted as the antenna, with the headphone cable helping capture the radio frequency signals. Users could listen to music, news, sports commentary and talk shows while travelling, often without worrying about draining their data plan.

For many, FM radio was a lifeline during long commutes or when internet access was unreliable. Some phones even allowed users to record radio clips, save favourite stations and set alerts.

As Spotify and Apple Music emerged, built-in FM tuners gradually disappeared Online music is wonderful, but there was a joy of opening the app, plugging in earphones and instantly accessing the free radio.

Ah, the madness of Snake. For the unversed: Snake was a game found on old Nokia phones, where you guided a snake across the screen that grew longer the more it ate. The one rule you couldn't break was touching your own tail, do that, and the game was over before you knew it.

In Space Impact, the premise was different but no less addictive: you piloted a spaceship battling waves of aliens, collecting power-ups as you fought your way through level after level.

Technically speaking, these games were built to run on limited hardware, using Java ME (J2ME) or the phone's native operating system. They demanded minimal processing power and storage, yet somehow delivered hours upon hours of replay value.

Unlike today's graphically intensive mobile games, bogged down with downloads, ads, and in-app purchases, these classics were instantly available. No internet connection, no updates, no app store required. Their simplicity was exactly what made them so memorable.

There was a time when a dying phone battery did not mean hunting for a charger or carrying a power bank. You could just remove the back cover, pop out the exhausted battery and replace it with a fully charged spare. For many users, removable batteries were one of the most practical features of older phones.

Popular devices from Nokia, Samsung, LG and other manufacturers allowed users to carry extra batteries, making them especially useful for travellers, outdoor workers and anyone who spent long hours away from a power outlet. They also offered a simple solution when batteries aged and lost their ability to hold charge, instead of replacing the entire phone, users could buy a new battery.

Technically, these batteries were usually lithium-ion packs designed to deliver portable power while remaining lightweight. The removable design also made it easier to reset frozen devices by physically removing the battery.

As smartphones became thinner and manufacturers prioritised sleek designs, larger batteries, water resistance and internal components, removable batteries gradually disappeared. While modern phones offer faster charging and better battery management, many still miss the freedom of carrying a spare battery and extending a phone’s life in seconds.

Once upon a time, the tiny microSD card was the easiest way to expand a phone’s storage. A small piece of removable flash memory allowed users to add more space for photos, videos, music, games and documents without replacing their device.

For many older phones, a microSD card was essential. Users could load hundreds of songs onto a memory card, swap cards with friends, or transfer files between devices without needing cables or internet access. A 2GB or 4GB card once felt like a huge upgrade, while later cards expanded storage into hundreds of gigabytes.

Technically, microSD cards use flash memory to store data without requiring power, making them compact, durable and reusable. Their plug-and-play design meant users could simply insert a card and instantly access additional storage.

As smartphone makers moved towards sealed designs, faster internal storage and cloud-based services, microSD slots became less common — especially on flagship devices. Manufacturers argued that removing the slot improved water resistance and performance, but many users still miss the flexibility of adding storage whenever they needed it, rather than paying more upfront for a higher-capacity phone.