Grab-A-Phone for 29 Euros

Every now and then I see something that reminds me in an impressive way of how quickly the mobile industry is changing. Not too long ago, even electronic stores sold mobile phones (the word 'phone' used intentionally here) in a way where you would have to ask an assistant to give you the box of a phone you wanted to buy out of a locked shelf. Usually the store had a couple or a few dozen of each model in stock. These days are over. Take a look at the picture on the right (click on it to enlarge). Low end phones are sold from the rummage table now. Just take a box for 29 euros and stick in a SIM card of your choice inside. Even higher priced touch phones up to about 110 Euros were sold in the store this way. Incredible, I think the word 'mass market' is not quite adequate anymore to describe how pervasive mobile communication has become in everyday life now.

Comments

[Stefan Constantinescu]

We've got the same thing in Finland, but it goes one step further. We've got dongles in these same sorts of bins too!

And of course I love how you can buy a SIM card from any corner store.

Wish all of Europe, and America even, would be like that.