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Ericsson T28s
Quick View💎 Rarity Index: B (Uncommon)
⭐ WOW Factor: The lightest handset on the market in 1999
👁 Evaluation in my collection: Great – 9.8/10
⏱ Life timer: N/A | 📦 Boxed: NO
📅 Release Year: 1999 | 💰 Release Price: N/A
📊 Units Sold: ~2.5M
📰 Why this phone matters: The T28 was the lightest and slimmest mobile phone at the time, with a weight of only 83 grams.Unlike many mobile phones of the time (1999-2001) it had a fixed, stubby external antenna. It was probably best known as the first phone that used lithium polymer batteries. At one point, it was the best selling mobile phone in America.
In terms of market positioning, Ericsson designated this as a premium phone, as such it was priced substantially higher (often more than triple) the price of the T10 and T18 devices – their nearest cosmetic and functional competitors. It has a tiny LCD screen and an spring-loaded latch mechanism to release the ‘flip.’
Models
Four different versions of the T28 were sold. T28z was compatible with GSM1900 for use in North America. T28s was compatible with GSM900/1800 for use in the rest of the world – this is by far the most common version. T28 World was compatible with GSM900/1900 for use worldwide on GSM900 and North America on GSM1900 (this was the second World phone Ericsson introduced, the first being the I888 which had the distinction of being the first commercially available GSM900/1900 phone). A special version, the T28sc was released in China with support for reading and entering Chinese characters.The device came in three colours-very dark blue, lighter blue and sand. The sand version being the least common.
The device was listed as compatible with two batteries. A normal slim-line and an ultra-slim lower capacity battery. However the device was also battery-compatible with the later R320 and R520 series.
📝 Reviews when released: Profit Warning 🔗
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Ericsson T28s Marble Beige: The Ultra Slim Business Legend
Quick View💎 Rarity Index: S (Ultra Rare)
⭐ WOW Factor: The lightest handset on the market in 1999
👁 Evaluation in my collection: Great – 9.8/10
⏱ Life timer: N/A | 📦 Boxed: YES
📅 Release Year: 1999 | 💰 Release Price: N/A
📊 Units Sold: ~150k
📰 Why this phone matters: This BNIB Ericsson T28s in Marble Beige stands as one of the finest surviving examples of Ericsson’s late-1990s engineering excellence, preserved exactly as a high-tier executive customer would have received it in 1999. All accessories remain sealed, including original charger, ultra-slim battery, carrying case, headset, and Greek-market manual, confirming the set as fully untouched retail inventory. The handset itself is flawless, showing zero oxidation on the metal hinge, zero aging on the keypad, and a perfectly preserved LCD protective film.Manufactured in Sweden during production week 99W48, this unit belongs to the earliest and most sought-after manufacturing batch, a period when Ericsson’s Scandinavian plants produced their highest-precision casings and hinge systems. The Marble Beige finish, the rarest official color for the T28 range, displays uniform pigment with no signs of yellowing, coating shift, or micro-wear. This particular finish was produced in extremely limited quantities, intended for boutique retail channels and premium corporate contracts rather than mass distribution.
As the lightest mobile phone in the world at launch, weighing only 83 grams, the T28s broke new engineering ground. It was the first commercial handset to utilize lithium polymer battery technology, a breakthrough that allowed Ericsson to achieve its groundbreaking slimness while maintaining strong standby performance. The T28 family helped set the design trajectory for the R320, R380, and later R520 series, all of which inherited its battery architecture and minimalist Scandinavian design language.
The T28s was priced dramatically higher than Ericsson’s T10 and T18 models, often exceeding triple their cost. This was deliberate: the T28s was positioned as a business instrument rather than a consumer phone. Its user base consisted of executives, financial professionals, international travelers, and early mobile adopters who valued style and compactness over mass-market features. In the United States it became one of the most successful premium handsets of its time, appearing in advertising campaigns, airport lounges, and business environments where elegance and miniaturization were the primary selling points.
The hinge mechanism, a defining feature of the T28s, was engineered with a spring-loaded stainless-steel latch designed for long-term durability. Many surviving used devices exhibit hinge fatigue or paint cracking, making BNIB examples exceptionally rare. This unit’s hinge remains factory-tight, demonstrating the precision of Swedish production during the late 1990s.
Additionally, the T28s was one of Ericsson’s earliest phones to implement a multi-market strategy with multiple radio variants: T28s for international GSM900/1800, T28z for GSM1900 North America, T28 World for GSM900/1900 dual-band, and T28sc for the Chinese character market. Among these, the T28s Marble Beige remains the most elusive due to its limited distribution and fragility of finish. Collectors widely consider Marble Beige the crown jewel of the T28 line, especially in factory-fresh condition.
With all documentation intact, sealed accessories, and a pristine handset untouched since production, this set stands as a museum-grade time capsule from the era when eur;opean engineering dominated mobile phone design. It captures the technological threshold between classic feature phones and the upcoming intelligent device revolution, making it one of the most historically meaningful Ericsson collectibles in existence.
📝 Reviews when released: Profit Warning 🔗