The Story of Lollipops: A Feature Phone That Never Was
Introduction
In 2007, during the dawn of smartphone dominance, Alcatel announced a feature phone that caught the attention of many. It was named Lollipops, after the popular candy, and boasted of a compact design, basic features, and a unique color combination. However, despite high initial interest, the device never made it to the market. Let's take a closer look at what could have been the story of Lollipops.
The Brand and Release Date
Alcatel, a French mobile brand, was responsible for bringing Lollipops to the public eye. The phone was announced in February 2007, but unfortunately, it never saw the light of day. We can only imagine what it would have been like if it had actually been released.
Dimensions and Storage
Lollipops weighed at just 84 grams and had a thickness of 21mm, making it one of the lightest and slimmest phones of its time. However, these dimensions were not enough to save it from being canceled. In addition to its physical appearance, Lollipops also had 4MB of storage, which was quite minimal even for a basic feature phone. Moreover, it did not have a card slot, making upgrading internal storage impossible.
Network and Connectivity
The Lollipops was a GSM phone, supporting only 2G bands of GSM 900 and 1800. It also had GPRS Class 10 technology, but no EDGE capabilities. The lack of 3G connectivity may have been another reason why the device was ultimately scrapped.
Display and Camera
Lollipops had a simple 1.8 inch CSTN display with a resolution of 128 x 160 pixels. Although it was a low-resolution screen, it had a decent screen-to-body ratio of 25.5%. The phone also had a VGA single camera, which was quite standard for feature phones at the time. Unfortunately, the device did not have a selfie camera, which may not have been a deal-breaker back then, but is a must-have in today's world of smartphone selfies.
Features and Battery Life
As a basic feature phone, Lollipops offered limited features. It had a phonebook capacity of only 500 entries and could record only 20 dialed, received, and missed calls each. The device also had an internal memory of 4MB, which was enough for storing contacts and messages, but not much else. It did have a few pre-installed games and a browser, but no WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity. However, it did come with a helpful organizer, voice memo, and predictive text input.
The battery life of this phone was impressive, with a removable 650 mAh Li-Ion battery that could last up to 320 hours on standby and up to 6 hours and 45 minutes of talk time. This may have been one of the few standout features of Lollipops, but it was not enough to save it from being canceled.
Conclusion
Lollipops may have been a promising device with its compact design, unique color scheme of Glossy White with pink logos, and basic features. However, it failed to make its mark in a market that was rapidly shifting towards smartphones. Its cancelation may have been a disappointment for some, but it serves as a reminder of how far technology has come in just over a decade.
