Long before Virgin Mobile acquired Helio, we started hearing whispers that the Samsung F400 was destined for the carrier’s lineup. With its vertically dual-sliding design featuring a number pad on one end and dual speakers on the other, it would have been a pretty snazzy little handset for music fans on everyone’s favorite MVNO.

Alas, things got a bit crazy in the months leading up to the acquisition. The Ocean 2 slipped all the way back to January of next year, and Helio’s version of the F400 (which would have been modeled the SPH-A533) purportedly got canned. Don’t get your hopes up on a post-acquisition revival – chances are, Virgin Mobile has moved on.

More shots after the jump. (Thanks Kill3r24!)