<P> The Motorola StarTAC is a clamshell mobile phone manufactured by Motorola . It was released on January 3 , 1996 , being the first ever clamshell / flip mobile phone . The StarTAC is the successor of the MicroTAC , a semi-clamshell design that had been launched in 1989 . Whereas the MicroTAC 's shell folded down from below the keypad , the StarTAC folded up from above the display . In 2005 , PC World put StarTAC at # 6 in The 50 Greatest Gadgets of the Past 50 Years . </P>
<P> The Motorola StarTAC is a clamshell mobile phone manufactured by Motorola . It was released on January 3 , 1996 , being the first ever clamshell / flip mobile phone . The StarTAC is the successor of the MicroTAC , a semi-clamshell design that had been launched in 1989 . Whereas the MicroTAC 's shell folded down from below the keypad , the StarTAC folded up from above the display . In 2005 , PC World put StarTAC at # 6 in The 50 Greatest Gadgets of the Past 50 Years . </P>
when did the first motorola flip phone come out
when did the first motorola flip phone come out
January 3 , 1996
January 3 , 1996