In the early 2000s, mobile phones were rapidly evolving from basic communication devices to much more sophisticated gadgets. In this era, Philips introduced the 855, a feature phone that boasted a sleek design and impressive features. Let's take a closer look at this device and why it became so popular among consumers.
Release Date and Specifications
The Philips 855 was released in Q2 of 2004, making it a fairly early addition to the growing market of mobile phones. This device was branded under Philips, a company known for their electronic products. The feature phone was slim and lightweight, weighing only 91 grams and measuring 25mm in thickness. Its compact dimensions of 85 x 47 x 25mm made it easy to carry around.
One of the notable features of the Philips 855 was its storage capacity. It came with 9MB of internal storage, providing ample space for storing contacts, messages, and other files. However, this device did not have a card slot for expandable storage.
Network and Display
As a feature phone, the Philips 855 operated on GSM technology and supported 2G bands of GSM 900, 1800, and 1900. It also had a Class 10 GPRS for data connectivity, but did not have EDGE capabilities. The phone had a sleek TFT display with 65K colors, and a resolution of 128 x 160 pixels spread across 7 lines. One unique feature of the Philips 855 was that it could open up to 180 degrees, revealing a second external display with 4096 colors and a resolution of 96 x 64 pixels. Users could customize their phone with downloadable screensavers, wallpapers, and logos.
Memory and Camera
The Philips 855 came with a phonebook that could store up to 500 contacts with 5 fields each, as well as a photo call feature. It also kept track of the last 30 calls received, dialed, and missed. The device had a modest internal memory of 9MB, sufficient for storage but not as impressive compared to other phones in its time.
In terms of camera capabilities, the Philips 855 only had a single VGA camera and did not support video recording. Selfie cameras were not yet commonplace in feature phones during this time.
Additional Features
The 855 featured a loudspeaker for hands-free communication, and offered vibration alerts and downloadable polyphonic ringtones for notifications. However, it did not come with a 3.5mm jack for headphones.
This device did not have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity, and also lacked positioning options such as GPS. It did, however, have an infrared port for data transfer and supported WAP 1.2.1 for internet browsing. The phone also came with a few pre-installed games and had Java capabilities, allowing users to download more games if desired. Other useful features included predictive text input, organizer tools, voice commands, and even an optional TV-out port.
Battery and Color Options
Powering the Philips 855 was a removable Li-Ion 600 mAh battery that provided up to 400 hours of standby time and 4 hours of talk time. This was fairly average for a feature phone during this time.
The Philips 855 came in four colors: Harmony Silver, Relaxing Blue, Sensorial Black, and Natural White. Each color option added a unique touch to the sleek design of the phone.
Conclusion
The Philips 855 may not have been the most advanced mobile phone of its time, but it certainly made its mark in the market with its slim design and various features. Its storage capacity, external display, and Java capabilities were especially appealing to consumers who wanted more than a basic feature phone. Today, the Philips 855 may seem outdated, but back in 2004, it was a must-have device for those looking for a reliable and stylish mobile phone.
Philips 855 Full Specifications
Network
Technology
GSM
2G bands
GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900
GPRS
Class 10
EDGE
No
Launch
Announced
2004, Q2
Status
Discontinued
Body
Dimensions
85 x 47 x 25 mm, 77 cc (3.35 x 1.85 x 0.98 in)
Weight
91 g (3.21 oz)
SIM
Mini-SIM
Display
Type
TFT, 65K colors
Size
Resolution
128 x 160 pixels, 7 lines
Other
180 deg opening position
Second external display, 4096 colors (96 x 64 pixels)
Screensavers and wallpapers
Downloadable logos
Memory
Card slot
No
Phonebook
500 x 5 fields, Photo call
Call records
30 received, dialed and missed calls
Internal
9MB
Main Camera
Single
VGA
Video
No
Selfie camera
Other
No
Sound
Loudspeaker
Yes
Alert types
Vibration; Downloadable polyphonic ringtones
3.5mm jack
No
Comms
WLAN
No
Bluetooth
No
Positioning
No
Infrared port
Yes
Radio
No
USB
Features
Sensors
Messaging
SMS, EMS, MMS, Email
Browser
WAP 1.2.1
Games
4 + Java downloadable
Java
Yes, MIDP 2.0
Other
Predictive text input
Organizer
Voice dial/command
Optional TV-out
Battery
Type
Removable Li-Ion 600 mAh battery
Stand-by
Up to 400 h
Talk time
Up to 4 h
Misc
Colors
4 - Harmony Silver, Relaxing Blue, Sensorial Black and Natural White