Sony Ericsson G702

Year: 2008
Prototype level: Cancelled
Codename: BeiBei

Overview

The Sony Ericsson G702, codenamed Beibei, was an unreleased smartphone developed as part of Sony Ericsson’s 2008 UIQ range. Designed as a compact touchscreen candybar, it combined Symbian UIQ 3.3 with 3G/HSDPA connectivity, Wi-Fi and GPS, while retaining a physical keypad. The unusual three-way navigation control and the layout of the keypad gave the phone a distinctive appearance compared with the contemporary G700 and G900. The hardware had progressed far enough for the G702 to receive FCC approval and for Sony Ericsson to produce a demonstration video, showing that this was a well-developed product rather than an early concept. 

Despite reaching this advanced stage, Sony Ericsson cancelled the G702 in June 2008 before it entered commercial production. Contemporary reports suggested that criticism of the phone’s design may have contributed to the decision, although Sony Ericsson never publicly established a clear reason for the cancellation. There was also speculation that the handset might eventually be released in some Asian markets, but this did not happen. 

The G702 is therefore an interesting example of a Sony Ericsson smartphone that came remarkably close to becoming a retail product. Working prototypes, an FCC filing and even official promotional material survive, yet the phone disappeared before consumers could buy it. With the subsequent collapse of the UIQ ecosystem, Beibei also represents one of the final branches of Sony Ericsson’s UIQ smartphone development before the company moved towards its Xperia strategy.