First details of Nokia's 'new' 3310 revealed

Rumours the classic Nokia 3310 could be reintroduced took the internet by storm earlier this month - and now the first details of the new handset have been revealed.

According to Chinese site Vtech, it will not run Android, but will be a 'feature' phone.

The design is expected to stay very similar to the iconic original, although will be thinner and lighter, the site claims.

However, instead of the original display, a monochrome 84 x 84 dispaly, there will be a new colour version, although it is not expected to be high resolution to keep battery life high.

The handset, expected to be unveiled at MWC next week, will also come in multiple color variants including red, green, and yellow, it is claimed.

The first details of Nokia's new take on the classic 3310 handset have been revealed. Photo / Getty

An update to the Nokia 3310 is thought to be one of a number of new models that will be announced at one of the world's largest gatherings for the mobile industry.

The handset could bring a distinctly turn of the millennium flavour to proceedings at the Mobile World Congress (MWC).

Once the undisputed king of the mobile market, Nokia's fortunes took a turn for the worse after its decision to support the Windows mobile operating system exclusively.

With stiff competition from iOS and Android, the flagging firm's handset activities were sold in 2014 to Microsoft to allow Nokia to focus on mobile network equipment.

But the Finnish company behind the latest models of Nokia, HMD Global, may be hoping to cash in on nostalgia to help its new handset compete with more high-tech offerings from smartphone favourites like Apple and Samsung.

The 3310 revamp is among four new handsets Nokia is thought to be revealing details of at the MWC, which is being held in Barcelona from 27 February to 2 March, 2017.

The new 3310 model is likely to cost just €59 (around $86), according to reports in Venture Beat.

Speaking on Twitter, mobile reporter Evan Blass said: 'HMD Global will launch the Nokia 3, 5 and 6 at MWC, plus a 3310 homage.'