Mobile Phone: Difference between revisions

[[File:Cellphone_Badger.jpg|thumb|Badger cell phone in GTA IV, without Badger logo.]]

The '''cell phone''' is a portable [[communication]] device that has been carried by the [[protagonist]]s of all the [[Grand Theft Auto]] games since [[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City]], with the exception of [[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories]].  In the [[GTA III era]], the phone was essentially cosmetic, and could not be used by the player to make calls at will, but its use has been expanded in [[Grand Theft Auto IV]].

In [[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City]], [[Tommy Vercetti]] retrieves a cell phone from [[Leo Teal]] during "[[Back Alley Brawl]]", allowing him to receive calls from in-game characters about missions or other topics. The phone's design is based on early commercial cell phones from the 1980s.

In [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]], [[Carl Johnson]] has a cell phone which he uses to make and receive calls.  Again, these may be about missions, they may relate to the general story, they may be tips from other characters, or they may serve no particular purpose — for example, the prank calls CJ receives from [[Catalina]]. The phone's design is that of an early flip-phone, with a small display for numbers.

In [[Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories]], Toni Cipriani retrieves a cell phone from a deceased Sindacco member in "[[Snuff]]". This phone is presumably the phone he uses from then on, as Toni originally called using a pay phone in "[[Home Sweet Home]]". The cell phone's function is similar to those in GTA Vice City and GTA San Andreas.

The use of the cell phone is greatly expanded in [[Grand Theft Auto IV]]. The player can use the phone (given to [[Niko Bellic]] by his cousin [[Roman]] during the [[It's Your Call|second mission]]) to make calls, a new feature.  

Niko can now call his [[Friendships in GTA IV|friends]] and [[Girlfriends in GTA IV|girlfriends]] to hang out or go on dates respectively, and can now receive text and picture messages from people. Niko can also use his phone to access [[Cheats in GTA IV|cheats]], go to [[Multiplayer in GTA IV|multiplayer]], and call emergency vehicles (like [[Police Car]]s, [[Ambulance]]s, and [[Fire Truck]]s) for assistance. The second model of phone is equipped with a camera, available for use anytime, and used in certain missions. Use of the phone can also trigger some missions, like the [[The Holland Play]], and pre-emptively calling some characters may trigger story-related dialogue more quickly.

===Cell phone exploits in Grand Theft Auto IV===

 

In the console versions of the game, the cell phone can also be used as a kind of 'super handbrake', to instantly stop any vehicle, no matter the speed. Initiating the camera while driving will instantly stop the car — the player can leave the phone open to the 'Camera' menu option, and then press X (on PS3) or A (on Xbox 360) when they want to stop. This is presumably a bug, and was fixed in the PC version — activating the phone camera while driving on PC will merely change the game camera to the 'hood cam' perspective, and activate the phone camera as normal. As this exploit requires a camera function, it can only be performed once the player has acquired the second model of phone.

Image:Mobile phone (GTAVC).jpg|The cell phone in GTA Vice City.

Image:Mobile phone (GTASA).jpg|The cell phone in GTA San Andreas.

Image:Carl using his phone.jpg|Carl with his cell phone in GTA San Andreas.