Philips Xenium 99g Complete Specs Pricing Pros & Cons Guide

Overview of Philips Xenium 9@9g

The Philips Xenium 9@9g was released in January 2007 and represented a practical choice for users seeking efficiency in their mobile devices. This feature phone was designed primarily for communication purposes with a few noteworthy functionalities beyond basic voice calls and texting. Even though it's now discontinued, its specifications and design make it an interesting piece of mobile history worth examining.

Design and Build

The Philips Xenium 9@9g boasts dimensions of 105.6 x 46 x 15 mm, making it quite compact and easy to handle. Weighing only 86 grams, the phone is lightweight and fits comfortably in the hand or pocket. The construction predominantly features plastic, typical of phones from that era, ensuring durability while maintaining a sleek appearance.

The phone utilizes a mini-SIM card in its build, which was standard for mobile phones during its time.

Display Quality

Equipped with an OLED display capable of rendering 256K colors, the Philips Xenium 9@9g offers a satisfying visual experience for a feature phone. The screen size measures 1.8 inches, with a resolution of 128 x 160 pixels, delivering clear and crisp visuals despite its relatively low screen-to-body ratio of 21.0%. This specification was decent for a feature phone at the time, and the OLED technology contributed to better contrast ratios and sharper display quality.

Performance and Battery Life

Though the processor and RAM specifics are not listed, the Philips Xenium 9@9g was tailored to handle the basic operations of a feature phone efficiently. It could not manage complex tasks but excelled in battery longevity, one of its standout features.

With a removable Li-Ion 950 mAh battery, the device delivered an exceptional standby time of up to 740 hours and a talk time of 8 hours and 30 minutes. This impressive battery performance was a highlight, aligning with Xenium’s reputation for long-lasting battery phones.

Storage and Memory

The internal storage of the Philips Xenium 9@9g is limited to 18MB, with no card slot for expandable storage. Despite the limited space, the phone adeptly fulfills its primary functionalities, managing contacts, messages, and a few multimedia files similar to other feature phones.

The phone features a robust phonebook capacity with up to 1000 entries, alongside features like Photocall, which adds a personal touch to stored contacts. It records 30 received, dialed, and missed calls effectively.

Camera Features

The Philips Xenium 9@9g is equipped with a single 1.3 MP main camera, along with an LED flash, which was standard for the period it was released. While it does not support video recording, it suffices for basic photography needs, capturing images with satisfactory quality for a phone of its kind.

Connectivity Options

In terms of connectivity, the Philips Xenium 9@9g included basic features suitable for its time. It supports GSM network technology with bands of GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900. The phone offers Class 10 GPRS, but lacks EDGE, limiting internet browsing speed slightly.

Bluetooth 1.1 support and an infrared port enhance the phone’s connectivity, enabling file transfers and synchronization with compatible devices. However, it does not support Wi-Fi, positioning, or radio. The proprietary USB port allows for connection and charging.

Messaging and Applications

For messaging, the Philips Xenium 9@9g supports SMS, MMS, and Email, making it suitable for basic communication needs. The device includes a WAP 2.0/xHTML browser, allowing for limited web browsing.

The phone features Java MIDP 2.0, facilitating the installation of Java-based applications and games, adding a bit of entertainment to the overall functionality of the device.

Audio and Multimedia

The device comes with a loudspeaker and supports vibration and downloadable polyphonic and MP3 ringtones. Notably, it does not include a 3.5mm headphone jack, which may have been a limitation for users who enjoy listening to music privately through headphones.

Conclusion

The Philips Xenium 9@9g, despite being discontinued, remains a noteworthy example of feature phones from the mid-2000s, valued for its excellent battery performance and efficient handling of basic functionalities. While it lacks modern smartphone capabilities, it provided solid options for users prioritizing extended phone use and simplicity. Its compact design, reliable build, and reasonable multimedia features make it a favored choice in its time for those not requiring advanced smartphone features.