What happened to Aeon?

Fast rewind 2 years. In October 2006, pictures of Nokia Aeon phone show up all over the Internet. Fanboys rejoice, some get a heart attack, while the rest takes the laptop to the bedroom and closes the door. The headlines are nothing short of sensational: "The Sexiest Mobile Phone Ever". So, where is my Aeon phone to drool over? :-)

What is Aeon?

The phone is sporting a full touchscreen divided into two parts, resembling a traditional candybar form, but with the keyboard part automatically changing according to context. Throw in the fuel-cell and the fact (I mean concept), that the "screen" and "keyboard" parts can be separated and used individually and you have a pretty futuristic, modular, wearable mobile phone.

I would like to show more, but evidently, Aeon pages of Nokia were taken down sometime during the last half-year!

Why is it not out yet?

At that time the message was quite clear from all sources. If Nokia can make this concept work, then everybody would bow at the feet of the Master of Mobile Universe (myself included). When the iPhone came out, there were still a lot of voices heard - it's nice, but when Aeon comes out, it will rule them all. Two years later, Nokia is still trying to beat Apple in its own game, instead of opening new frontiers.

While the full touchscreen part has lost its revolutionary status in the last 2 years, Aeon is still stylish and a familiar form for the hundred-millions of candy-bar owners. As candy-bar form is associated with the low-value, high volume mobiles now, it could be one of the reasons, why Nokia did not introduce the Aeon. (But ... Vertu, anyone?)

Regarding fuel-cell technologies, Toshiba is committed to utilize the tech in commercial products by the end of March 2009. Also, another blocker was removed this year, when the US Department of Transportation has lifted the ban on fuel-cell cartridge transportation on airplanes. So, are we getting closer to an Aeon in 2009?

Photos of Nokia Aeon below:

amby’s posterous

amby’s posterous