In 2005, Bird announced that they would be releasing a new feature phone called the S699. However, things didn't go as planned and the release was ultimately cancelled. Let's take a closer look at what could have been with the Bird S699.
A Sleek Design and Basic Features
The S699 had a thickness of 15.7mm, making it a slim and compact device. It measured at 104.3 x 44 x 15.7 mm (4.11 x 1.73 x 0.62 in) and had a mini-SIM card slot. The phone boasted a CSTN display with 65K colors, featuring a resolution of 120 x 128 pixels. It also had the features of wallpaper and screensaver to add a personal touch to the user's home screen.
No Room for External Memory
Unfortunately, users would not have been able to expand their storage on the S699 as it did not have a card slot. However, it did offer a phonebook with space for 100 entries and the ability to store records of 20 dialed, 20 received, and 20 missed calls.
Bare-Bones Camera and Sound Capabilities
The S699 did not come equipped with a camera, making it a less attractive choice for those who enjoy taking photos on their phones. It also had no loudspeaker or ability to play music through the device. Users could only rely on vibration alerts and polyphonic ringtones (up to 16) for any audio capabilities.
Limited Connectivity Options
In terms of connectivity, the S699 did not offer much. It had no WLAN or Bluetooth capabilities and could not connect to the internet. There was also no option for GPS or radio, further limiting the phone's potential.
Basic Functions and Battery Life
The S699 had no special features, such as sensors or a browser, but it did offer the basic function of SMS messaging. There were also two embedded games for users to pass the time. The phone ran on a removable Li-Ion battery with a standby time of up to 75 hours and talk time of up to 2 hours.
Miscellaneous Information
The only color option for the S699 was black. It ran on GSM technology with 2G bands of GSM 900 / 1800 and had GPRS capabilities. However, there was no option for EDGE, which was a faster data connection at the time.
A Phone That Never Made It
With its simple design and basic features, the Bird S699 could have been a decent choice for those looking for a basic feature phone in 2005. Unfortunately, the release was cancelled and the phone never made it to market. This left potential buyers wondering about what could have been with the S699.
