It was introduced in Barcelona on 19 November 2001,[3] and was described by CEO Jorma Ollila as the company's most important launch of that year.

[4] Feature-rich, it was the first Nokia phone with a built-in camera (VGA resolution), and thus its imaging capabilities was widely marketed.

These factors made the 7650 much-hyped at the time, especially as it came almost four years after the formation of Symbian Ltd.[8] It was eventually released on 26 June 2002 for around €600.

The handset's release was promoted in conjunction with the science fiction film Minority Report.

[10] The 7650's significance for its time has been hailed in later years, with many considering it as being one of the most important mobile devices and one of Nokia's most iconic products.