Meet the LG Wing: A smartphone that forms a “T” when opened
LG has a new smartphone — the LG Wing, and with both screens crossed over each other at right angles, the device does look a bit like a bird about to take flight. The company teased the new device earlier this month in a video, that showed content splashed simultaneously across both screens, but without much detail on how the screens could be used independently. But on September 14, the company revealed all the new details of the new LG Wing through a virtual event.
The screens can be used as "T," with the horizontal screen swiveled open at the top, turned to have the screen at the bottom, or even on its side. Both screens can show the same content, but the company imagines more that one screen will show one kind of content, a phone call for example, while the second screen can have a second app, like a navigation service, open as well.
LG is trying to crack open the idea of what a smartphone can look like. The phone has two screens, a 6.8-inch main screen, which can swivel open to access a second 3.9-inch OLED screen. And the entire phone, which weighs just 260 grams, will run on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset. There isn't a cut out as well — no notch. You can even lock the second screen, so that if you accidentally touch it, the content on that extra screen won't stop or change. And the swivel can be done completely with one hand.
A 32MP pop up camera handles action from the front — and LG stresses that the camera will also pop back in if you drop it. The back has three cameras, a 64 MP camera, plus two ultra wide cameras, one that is a big pixel 12MP and the other that is 13MP. There is also gimbal technology, with six different motion sensors for stabilization which activates when you access the second screen and swivel it open. It's also water resistant, with an in-screen fingerprint sensor, and is 5G enabled.
Dual screen phones are becoming more common under LG, with the LG Velvet and LG V60 just two that take advantage of the use of two screens from one device. But the LG Wing is a completely different design direction. Here, the two screens cross each other like the letter "T," at right angles. This is a phone designed for multi-taskers, letting you video chat and watch a movie or play games and send texts — all at the same time.
The LG Wing is the first for the company's Explorer Project, which is pushing the concept of not only what a phone should look like — but how it should work. The company also says that the LG Wing is just the first for the new project, and that other kinds of devices will be coming as well.
LG gave no details during the virtual event on when the LG Wing will be available to consumers, nor a price tag although rumors say that the phone will be priced close to $1,000.
