Typology of Lego Smartphones

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

To date, Lego has released 25 different smartphone models (1×2 printed tiles). Let’s take a wee journey through the last 12 years of Minifigure mobiles.

Pinky and perky

The very first Lego smartphone was ‘Tile 1 x 2 with Magenta and White Cell Phone / Smartphone / Music Player Pattern’.

Included with two sweet Friends sets in 2012, this Barbie-esque device better resembles a flip phone, with what look like physical buttons for controlling media. Technically it’s listed as a Smartphone on BrickLink and that’s how I’m determining qualification status for this compilation.

3936 – Emma’s Fashion Design Studio (£9.99)
3183 – Stephanie’s Cool Convertible (£14.99)
N.B. Both sets were first listed at LEGO.com in UK on 27 December 2011

Common as muck

The most common smartphone is without question ‘Tile 1 x 2 with Smartphone with Phone, Mail, Speech Bubble, Star, Flower, Note, Play Button and Sound Level Pattern’.

It’s the mobile equivalent of an orange brick separator, and you are bound to have more than one in your collection.

It first came out in 2013 and was still being used up until two years ago, having featured in 47 different sets.

Kawaii-phone

The cutest phone for me is the Animal Crossing NookPhone. AC: New Horizons was a daily treat that helped me and many others through the pandemic. Read about my Animal Crossing x Carlyle Circle digital exhibition from 2020, this wee phone played such a pivotal and adorable role in the game.

Currently featured in only one set (Isabelle’s House Visit) this smartphone is very desirable but can easily be picked up for £1 on BrickLink.

That’s Hot

The most expensive smartphone to buy is ‘Tile 1 x 2 with Cell Phone / Smartphone with ‘BFF’, ‘LOL’, Heart, Lock, Speech Bubble and Star Pattern’. With a typical used value of £1.87, it’s way ahead of the average smartphone price of 36p.

Released in 2013 as part of the Collectible Minifigures Series 10 range, ‘Trendsetter’ is without question a Paris Hilton lookalike. It even includes her beloved chihuahua Tinkerbell (2001-2015).

Visibility matters

Last but not least, ‘Tile 1 x 2 with Cell Phone / Smartphone Screen with Sports App with Lime ‘11.3’ and Arrow Pattern’ is arguably the most important smartphone.

Released last year, it accompanies a Friends Minidoll ‘Hanna’ with a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) such as the FreeStyle Libre on her right arm, represented by a small white circle.

For people with Type 1 Diabetes like me these medical devices are life changing. Providing 24/7 blood glucose level readings (without finger pricks) to our smartphones via Bluetooth with a minimum of disruption to our daily routine.

It’s so positive that it was included in a fun and active ‘Sports Center’ set too (#41744), not a medical environment with potentially negative connotations. Well done Lego, now please release another CGM print on a standard Minifigure next.

Make your own Hanna

The ‘Sports Center’ set is quite expensive (RRP £84.99), but you can easily order all the parts for Hanna via Lego’s Pick a Brick service for under a fiver.

N.B. Most of the parts are considered Standard (i.e. not Bestsellers) are therefore will take a bit longer (up to 28 business days delivery from Denmark) and there is a £5.50 service fee for orders below £11.

Name	Element / Design ID	Cost
FLAT TILE 1X2, NO. 377	6435092 / 103341	£0.22
MINI WIG, NO. 369	6442996 / 2633	£0.64
MINI DOLL, HEAD, NO. 387	6435153 / 103399	£0.56
TORSO, GIRL, W/ ARM, NO. 511	6443045 / 73141	£2.40
PANTS, W/ HIP, NO. 11	6443058 / 2277	£0.71
		£4.53

Support an artist

If you enjoyed this journey through Lego smartphones, please consider making a small donation to me via the ‘Buy Me A Coffee’ website. It’s an easy, quick and secure way to support artists and content creators.

Present & Correct

This smartphone collection is inspired by Present & Correct’s legendary ‘Typology of Lego Computers’ photograph.

Please give them a follow on all the socials and check out their beautifully curated collection of new and vintage stationery.

They have both a physical shop (Bloomsbury, London) and online shop (worldwide shipping).

Image credits

Smartphone close-up images are from BrickLink.

Continuous glucose monitor by Sjö, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.