LG Wing: release date, specs, design rumors
Many large tech companies have followed up on the folding smartphone trend, trying to create their own unique device that offers its users more display space, on a more compact phone. In the meantime, LG has tried to do such in its own way, first with the LG Velvet that offered the second screen as a part of the case, and now with the LG Wing, a smartphone that is expected to have a rotating display. With only months or even weeks, until the release date, here is everything we know so far about LG’s upcoming smartphone.
LG Wing Design
When it comes to the design, we expect LG Wing to have two displays, one of which would rotate to the side revealing a smaller additional display. The main display is rumored to be the same size as the latest LG flagship, meaning we can expect a 6.8-inch OLED display. The second display seems to be square but the resolution and size are not yet known.
In May, we got the first hint of what LG’s newest unusual smartphone is going to be like, but now, thanks to a video that got leaked in Korea by the end of August, we get to see the actual LG Wing in action. The video reveals a lot about the design and the way the dual displays are going to work, showing that they will initially be placed one over the other, but the top one can be rotated by 90-degrees into a portrait mode which would reveal a smaller additional display on the side. In the video, we also see a very good potential use of the device in-car navigation, as the first 6.8-inches display shows the navigation instructions and the map, while the “wing” display on the right shows a music app that can be easily navigated while on the road. It appears that the two displays will be quite a good solution for multitasking.
LG Wing Specs & Features
Thanks to the rumors originated from ET News, we have a much better idea of what internals we can expect from LG Wing. According to the rumors, the new LG smartphone is going to have a Snapdragon 765 processor which is not the latest one offered but would in theory be enough for anyone’s everyday use. This processor also means that we could be looking at 5G connectivity too. Even though we do not have any info about the battery capacity, we do know that we can expect 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. There is no rumors yet whether there will be other RAM or storage options, or this will be the final combination for now. We will update you as more specs and features get released over time, including camera and lens details.
LG Wing Release Date & Price
At first, it was expected that Wing is going to be just a prototype type of device, without ever actually reaching the wider public. But, after the aforementioned leak showed up, it does appear that LG might have other plans for the new device. It seems like it is all set and done, meaning a nearby launch date is a very possible option, but many rumors believe it would happen much later by the end of 2020. Unfortunately, we still have no idea what the possible price of LG Wing could be, but we expect it to be quite pricey considering the high prices of other folding phones that have been released recently.
UPDATE (9th September): New renders and real-life sightings
With less than a week to go before the official launch, more renders and real-life sightings are slowly showing up. The first one is a YouTube video that shows the device being rotated single-handedly. Not only does it show that it can comfortably fit in the palm of your hand, but the video also shows the device display turned on, revealing that the back display won’t actually be square as we have predicted so far, but rather something closer to a full size one. We do have to keep in mind that it is the first rotating device of this mechanism, so there will probably be a few more surprises when it comes to the back display.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYRZOREZR0k
Another quite real-life looking render has been Tweeted by Evan Blass, one of the more prominent smartphone leakers, and it shows both the front and backside of the device, seen in the photo below. What we can observe is that the smaller display will have thicker bezels than the front one, while the part that peeks on top when the displays are in the rotation has a speaker. Moreover, we two device colors: simple black and a white or light blue gradient one. LG Wing’s backside is also shown, confirming that the device doesn’t look too bulky when closed. It also shows a triple camera setup in a rectangular housing on the top left corner. We are excited to know more about the specs of both front and back camera, and more about the ways this type of rotation can come in handy when combined with modified Android OS.
Few days after the official launch has been announced by LG, we are finding out that the new device is indeed going to be called LG Wing, noting that it is in fact not a code name after all. This is pretty great as we won’t get a series of numbers that have to be memorized, and such a memorable device with unusual rotating displays does deserve a memorable name. LG described it as a “new mobile category aimed at discovering new ways to interact with mobile devices, focusing on the evolving and ever-changing needs of today’s consumers and challenging established user norms”, and we are more than excited to see what it will bring to the table.
UPDATE (4th September): Official release date announced!
It was just a matter of time before LG officially announced the upcoming LG Wing smartphone that is said to have one of the most unique designs of the year. And now, after months of guessing what the device would actually look like and will it actually be launched in the end, the company released the announcement on its YouTube channel for the official event that will take place on the 14th of September 2020. And the device looks as amazing as we expect, followed by the tagline “Discover the Unexplored”. The event is said to take place at 11pm KST which puts the launch at quite an unusual time in the US and Europe, giving us the hint that the device is most likely not going to be launched worldwide. Nevertheless, enjoy the announcement video below:
UPDATE (30th August): More about the price and release date
In a matter of a couple of days, several different sources reported different price points for the upcoming Wing smartphone. At first, HeraldCrop reported that the price is going to be around $1,600 which is extremely pricey, even for such an unusual flagship. Luckily, the XDA-Developers further confirmed that it will in fact be around $1,000 which is much closer to the base level of other flagships on the market such as Samsung Galaxy S20, even though Wing is not going to feature the latest Snapdragon processor like it is the case with others. Other details have also been revealed in the meantime, including the size of the secondary screen that will have a 4-inch display.
