In pictures: what Hong Kong’s mobile phones of the 1980s and 90s looked like

Before the iPhones, Androids and other smartphones we have today, back in the 1980s most Hongkongers depended on landlines at home or in the office. Without a portable phone, stepping out meant losing connection with your colleagues or loved ones.

The first generation of mobile phones in Hong Kong were bulky, heavy and very expensive, earning them the nickname “Big Brother” in Chinese. Pulling one out on a busy street was a power move – at the time, only business leaders and the wealthy elite could afford to carry one.

By the mid-1990s, mobile phones became smaller, slimmer and more affordable. What was once a luxury item began to make its way into the hands of the working class.

Here’s a look back at photographs from the South China Morning Post that reveal how mobile phones changed the lives of Hongkongers.