Samsung SGH-D500
| Industry | Consumer electronics |
|---|---|
| Founded | January 13, 1969 in Suwon, South Korea |
| Headquarters | Suwon , South Korea |
| Products | Mobile phones, consumer electronics |
Samsung SGH-D500
The Samsung SGH-D500 is a slider-type mobile device created and engineered by Samsung. Officially unveiled on October 8, 2004, it launched by the end of that year as the successor to the SGH-E800. Renowned for its sleek design and multimedia capabilities, it featured a 1.3-megapixel digital camera equipped with an integrated LED flash, Bluetooth connectivity, and an MP3 player. The D500 gained widespread acclaim and is recognized for establishing the popularity of the 'active' slider phone format across multiple manufacturers.
At the 2005 3GSM World Congress held in Cannes, the D500 earned the distinguished "Best Mobile Handset" award. Its global sales surpassed 10 million units, marking it as one of Samsung's most successful phones of the decade. Other Samsung models achieving similar sales figures during the 2000s include the E250, E700, J700, T100 (notably the company's first to reach one million units sold), and the S5230 (also known as Star or Tocco Lite). The D500 was eventually replaced by the D600, which debuted approximately one year later.
Flashing
Because the D500 is frequently distributed to users with customized software, many owners choose to "flash" their devices. This process eliminates or modifies on-screen branding, removes the often disliked shortcut sidebar, and disables mandatory sounds such as the branding tones during power-up and shutdown. Additionally, installing new firmware can introduce functionalities like voice dialing, voice commands, and free up more memory space.
Criticism
The SGH-D500 gained consumer favor due to its large display relative to the front surface, smooth sliding mechanism, strong flash capability, and high-quality video, photo, and audio performance. Nevertheless, it faced criticism for lacking expandable storage options through a memory card slot. There are also recognized issues related to the phone’s screen: the connector can become detached, causing various display malfunctions. Furthermore, the screen is prone to damage from rough handling or accidental drops.
Variants
- SGH-D500C: Model designed for the Asian market
- SGH-D508: Chinese Anycall version
- SGH-D500E: Edition featuring EDGE connectivity
Related phones
- Samsung SGH-E800: Model preceding the D500
- Samsung SGH-D600: Follow-up model
- Samsung SGH-E730: Clamshell counterpart