Ericsson Hedvig

Year: 2000
Prototype level: Cancelled
Codename: Hedvig

Overview

Ericsson’s Hedvig was one of the more unconventional phone designs developed around the turn of the millennium. Rather than following the increasingly familiar candybar and conventional flip-phone layouts of the period, Hedvig placed its keypad above the display and used a large, sculpted flip, giving the handset a distinctly different appearance. The project was developed at Ericsson’s Carlton factory in the UK, but rising development costs eventually brought it to an end before the phone could reach the market.

The production history of Hedvig is unusually well documented through surviving insider information. Around 110 units are believed to have been built at Carlton, with an estimated 80–100 still surviving. However, only a small fraction appear to have remained fully operational, with approximately 11 units reportedly reaching that condition.

The hardware is just as unusual as the design. The front housing is made from magnesium alloy, giving the phone a substantial feel, and was chrome-plated before being painted. This finishing process has proved particularly unforgiving over the years, with damaged and worn paint being common among surviving examples. Most Hedvigs are silver, while a much smaller number were finished in dark anthracite. Together, the unusual construction, distinctive design and limited production make Hedvig one of the most recognisable cancelled Ericsson prototypes.