TOKYO: LG Electronics has brought back a new flip phone into the smartphone segment with an Android Lollipop in-built along with a low-end camera.
Originally announced in the domestic Korean market as LG Gentle, the company has rebranded it as LG Wine Smart. The device is expected to go on sale later this month in countries including France, Italy, Poland, Spain, Kazakhstan and Japan, among others.
LG brings global consumers with its newest hybrid smartphone designed especially for a generation of users who are more accustomed to the feel of flip — also known as folder or clamshell — phones.
LG says the purpose of relaunching the flip phone is to combine the familiarity of a folder phone with touchscreen and the connectivity and power of a smartphone.
The device is powered by Android Lollipop 5.1.1 and a has a large physical 3×4 numeric keypad with hot keys for features such as phone dialer, address book, text messages or camera.
Among the other key features are 1.1GHz Quad-Core processor with 1GB RAM, 4 GB internal memory and expandable with a Micro SD. It has a 1,700mAh removable battery. The device is 4G enabled and weighs about 143 grams.
The device has an ordinary 3.2-inch HVGA (480 x 320) display. It also comes with a 3Mp rear camera and a VGA camera in front.
The Wine Smart includes LG’s Safety Care feature which the company says will send emergency alerts and real-time location to pre-selected contacts whenever the user needs immediate assistance. The company has not provided any pricing structure yet.
