The phone in a commercial advertising the phone and its "9G" technology
Drone is a "9G" mobile phone operating system that appears in Grand Theft Auto V based on Android.
Description
It is featured on all cell phones manufactured by Badger, Whiz Wireless and, strangely, BitterSweet. BitterSweet's drone phone is based upon the Samsung Galaxy SIII Mini or Samsung Galaxy Ace 2.
Its main competitor is iFruit OS, which is featured on iFruit phones.
Drone is humorously described as copying the iFruit, similar to the real world accusations of some Android phone makers, such as Samsung, whose phone models are also represented in the game, copying Apple.
The DJ of Radio Los Santos, Big Boy, mentions that he witnessed two guys fighting at a party over which operating system was better.
Apps
Drone homescreen on Franklin's bitterSweet device.
Periodically, the player will receive emails from various characters, or even companies promoting new items in stores. For some personal emails, the player can choose to 'reply' to the sender, and a scripted message from the protagonist will be sent, advancing the conversation. Emails from retailers sometimes come with a link that can be opened in the browser.
Messages
The text messaging function of the phone allows the player to receive texts from various characters. Viewing a text usually prompts the player to call the sender, often to advance a part of the story.
Checklist
Shows the mission objectives (when playing on a mission);
Shows a list of the last GTA Online missions invites for quick access, even if the player is in the story mode (only when connected to the internet).
Quick save
Allows the player to save the game when not in a safehouse. Quick saving is not available during missions.
Contacts
Standard contact list used to call or hang out with people. If the player has ignored an incoming phone call, the icon will be replaced by a (!) indicating who to call back to start a mission. Pressing X (Xbox 360 and Xbox One) or Square (PS3 and PS4) while in the list will show the dialer.
Settings
Allows the player to modify the phone to their tastes. Can use different ringtones or toggle phone vibrations on or off.
Snapmatic
Allows the player to take pictures or selfies in free roam which are then uploaded to the Rockstar Social Club. Several missions also require photos to be taken of specific things. It is based on the photo and picture editing app Instagram.
Internet
Standard mobile browser allowing the player to navigate the internet, buy vehicles online and manage stocks on the BAWSAQ website.
Trackify
Allows the player to track another mobile phone with the same application. This app is only available during certain missions and the Submarine Pieces mini-game.
Notable Owners
GTA V
- Franklin Clinton owns a BitterSweet resembling the Samsung Galaxy SIII that runs on Drone.
- Sean Douglas (formerly)
Trivia
- Franklin's Drone phone has a green case on it, as a reference to green being his signature color (And the signature color of the CGF, his gang). Same as Michael's blue Fruit phone and Trevor's reddish-orange Facade phone.
- There is an advertisement poster for Drone that says, "This is the Drone you've been looking for..." This is a reference to a famous line from Star Wars.
- Franklin's Drone phone is sold as a BitterSweet in the enhanced version of GTA V. This is strange, since BlackBerry's current touchscreen phones run the company's own OS, BlackBerry 10.
- The home screen design of the phone is likely a reference to BlackBerry's "legacy" devices, which run BBOS 7. Also given BlackBerry's small market share in the phone market and its history of making complicated handsets would've made Franklin's choice less than likely.
- In a strange twist of irony, Blackberry has very recently (as of 2015) started manufacturing Android phones (starting with the Blackberry Priv) in a bid to win back the market, largely due to how Blackberry devices are perceived to be lacking in desirable apps.