Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Ford Rouge Factory Tour and Giant Screen Experience will be closed Monday, March 16, for a day of staff learning and development. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Ford Rouge Factory Tour and Giant Screen Experience will be closed Monday, March 16, for a day of staff learning and development. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

StarTAC Flip Phone, 1996

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Artifact Overview

Motorola's StarTAC was the first flip phone. It was released in 1996, and its small, portable size and light weight (less than 4 ounces) helped make it popular among consumers for several years. The StarTAC's popularity helped everyday Americans develop a familiarity and comfort with cellphones.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Cellular telephone

Date Made

1996

Creators

Place of Creation

Location

at Henry Ford Museum in Collections Platform

Object ID

97.51.9.0

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ameritech Corporate Archives.

Material

Plastic
Metal

Color

Black (Color)

Dimensions

Height: 5 in (Handset)
Width: 2.375 in (Handset)
Thickness : 0.875 in (Handset)
Weight: 3.6 oz

Inscriptions

Handset: Star TAC / Ameritech / MOTOROLA FCC ID. IHDT 5VG 1EE3 / CANADA:109 182 238A; TYPE:VGKA / 832-2412 CHANNEL OPERATION / MODEL:80070WNBPA / MSN:572 GWZ8942Y
Keywords
StarTAC Flip Phone, 1996