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LG's Android flip phone gets global release as Wine Smart

LG has confirmed that its Android Lollipop-powered LG Gentle flip phone will launch in other markets around the world under the LG Wine Smart name.
By
August 5, 2015
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LG’s Android Lollipop-powered Gentle flip phone is set to be released outside South Korea, with the company today confirming the handset will be known as the LG Wine Smart outside its homeland. Like others, LG is known to release a range of handsets exclusively for its home market and many expected the Wine Smart to be one of these but LG think there could be demand for the handset in other markets.

[related_videos title=”LG in video:” align=”left” type=”custom” videos=”630400,625608,616170,614646″]Aside from a different name, the Wine Smart essentially has the same specs as the Gentle and features a 3.2-inch touchscreen with 480 x 320 pixels resolution and the usual array of buttons found on a traditional clamshell. The handset is powered by a quad-core 1.1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 processor and 1GB RAM, while other notable specs include 4GB internal memory (that can be expanded using a microSD card slot), a 3MP rear camera, front VGA camera and a 1700 mAh battery. Also on board is LTE support and the handset runs Android 5.1.1 Lollipop out of the box.

LG hasn’t confirmed pricing for its clamshell handset but given it’s priced at $170 in South Korea, we’d expect a similar price tag around the world. The question now is, will Samsung follow suit and offer the Galaxy Folder outside of South Korea?

What do you think of the LG Wine Smart aka the LG Gentle? Let us know your views in the comments below guys!

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NEW LG WINE SMART DELIVERS SMARTPHONE FEATURES WITH FAMILIAR FOLDER STYLE CONVENIENCE

Flip Phone with Android Lollipop Supports the Latest Apps and Multimedia Functions

SEOUL, Aug. 5, 2015 ― LG Electronics (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. Originally announced in the domestic Korean market as LG Gentle, the all-new LG Wine Smart will make its international debut later this month in target countries including France, Italy, Poland, Spain, Kazakhstan, Japan and the United Kingdom.

The Wine Smart combines the familiarity of a folder phone with an easy-to-use touchscreen and the connectivity and power of a smartphone. Thanks to the positive response to the original Wine Smart introduced in Korea last year, LG optimized the latest model with more advanced multimedia features to make the transition from feature phone to smartphone as seamless as possible.

The new LG Wine Smart is powered by Android Lollipop 5.1.1 to run the latest apps without complaint. To truly optimize the new Wine Smart for flip phone fans, LG included a large physical 3×4 numeric keypad for easy and accurate typing and hotkeys that provide instant access to frequently used features such as phone dialer, address book, text messages or camera. Larger-than-normal icons take full advantage of the 3×3 home screen layout on the crisp 3.2-inch HVGA display. The Wine Smart includes LG’s Safety Care feature which can be set to automatically transmit emergency alerts and real-time location to pre-selected contacts whenever the user needs immediate assistance.

“Our goal with LG Wine Smart was to create a smartphone that fans of flip phones could embrace,” said Chris Yie, vice president and head of marketing communications for LG Mobile Communications Company. “Consumers shouldn’t have to miss out on the smartphone revolution because they prefer a particular phone design over another. With LG Wine Smart, they won’t have to.”

Prices and carrier details will be announced locally at the time of launch.

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