How to select the right LG phone

by Damian Koh |
In the earlier days, the classification of LG mobiles was straightforward. "B" indicated a budget or an entry-level model, while "W" referred to WAP support. "G", on the other hand, represented GPRS-enabled handsets, and 3G models began with the letter "U" (for UMTS).


LG announced its first CDMA digital mobile handset in 1996.
This year, LG has adopted a new categorization for its mobiles. In Asia and other parts of the world outside the US, handsets beginning with the letter "G" in the prefix refer to models that are sold globally. The second letter represents specific features. For instance, "M" is for Multimedia or Music depending on the region. So "GM", for example, represents a multimedia model that is sold in most parts of the world. LG phones in the US have a different classification model, but we won't go into that.

Since the launch of the Chocolate in 2006, LG has gradually dropped traditional numeric codenames in its marketing campaigns, while injecting a new lease of life into its mobile device business with fashionable and trendy handsets. This was led by the premium Black Label series which featured the Chocolate in 2006, followed by the Shine in 2007 and the Secret in 2008. At the Las Vegas-based Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this year, the company also showcased its strides in innovation with the GD910 watch phone that has a touchscreen panel and 3G. A month later at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, LG showed off its upcoming GD900 with a striking see-though slider keypad.

Although LG has relied on its own operating system for most of its mobiles phones, the company entered into an alliance with Microsoft this year that will see the Korean chaebol committed to Windows as its primary software for its smartphones. The agreement will result in more than 50 Windows phones by 2012. The company also plans to release Android phones based on Google's open-source OS in Q3 this year. However, unlike Apple and Nokia which also offer content-related services, LG said it will remain a hardware manufacturer.

At a quick glance, LG mobile phones can be classified broadly into four themes: Entertainment (multimedia-centric), Style (fashion-centric), Convergence (smartphones) and Simple Connect (entry-level).

Select a category:

Entertainment

Music, photography, gaming and multimedia

I am... someone who wants a phone that doubles as a multimedia device and lets me take pictures, listen to music and occasionally play games.


Phones in the Entertainment category are focused primarily on delivering enriched music, photography, gaming and multimedia experiences. The latest 2009 flagship, Arena, offers a 3D user interface with a cube-based layout and graphics that look undeniably fancy with traces of Apple's Cover Flow.

Although LG hasn't christened the 8-megapixel KC780 with a moniker, the earlier Renoir KC910 was one of the company's imaging heavyweights in 2008. Before that was the Viewty KU990, one of the more popular 5-megapixel touchscreen camera-phones in the market. Slightly more affordable but still offers a touchscreen display is the Cookie KP500.

In mid-2008, LG signed an agreement with Dolby Laboratories to embed Dolby Mobile technology in its multimedia phones bound for the global market. This will provide features including soundstage effects, high frequency enhancer, bass extension, graphics equalizer, sound level control, mono-to-stereo converter and a more realistic surround sound experience when using headphones onto the handsets. Recent mobiles like the Renoir and Arena make use of Dolby Mobile for music playback.

In this category:



LG Arena KM900

The Windows Mobile-based Arena comes with a 3D S-Class user interface and supports a location-based service that lets the user locate himself as well as friends, social groups and other parties for emails, chats and text messaging.
LG Renoir KC910

The Renoir packs a myriad features including an 8-megapixel sensor, built-in Xenon flash, manual focusing capabilities, ISO 1,600 sensitivity and geotagging.
LG Cookie KP500

The Cookie brings touchscreen capabilities, handwriting recognition, a widget-based user interface and motion gaming to an affordable level.


Style

Fashion labels, premium materials, design-centric

I am... someone who wants a trendy phone and wouldn't mind if the handset doesn't have high-end features.


This category is self-explanatory and houses the Black Label series beginning with the Chocolate in 2006, Shine in 2007 and Secret in 2008. The Chocolate range has spawned a number of clones in various colors, while the Shine has had both slider and candybar form factors. The Secret, the latest in the Black Label series, has experimented with materials like tempered glass and carbon fiber.

Aside from the Black Label series, LG has also worked with fashion houses in the design of its phones. The LG Prada, an iPhone competitor with its simple yet sleek chassis, was the result of one such collaboration. The two companies later introduced the LG Prada II in October 2008 and a companion Bluetooth digital watch, the Prada Link, in the following month. Also digital timepiece, but one that can make 3G calls is the GD910 watch-phone that was announced at the Las Vegas-based Consumer Electronics Show.

More recently at this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, LG unveiled the GD900 phone with a translucent sliding keypad that supports multitouch and illuminates when open. It'll also pack a 3-inch touchscreen panel, vibrating haptic feedback and support for finger-writing recognition. This will be due out in the next quarter.

In this category:



LG Black Label series

Possibly the longest-running and most successful series from LG, this range comprises the Chocolate, Shine and Secret. Will there be a fourth iteration? It is anyone's guess for now.
LG Prada

The Prada wasn't perfect in every area, but it stood out with its attractive design. Although the Prada II that came later didn't break new grounds in the style department, it had a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and the ability to sync with a companion Prada Link Bluetooth digital watch.
LG GD900

The latest model in the Style category is the GD900 that comes with a polished silver chassis and a translucent slider keypad. According to LG, the keypad will also glow in use and will support Bluetooth, multitouch, haptic feedback and finger-writing recognition.


Convergence

Smartphones, connectivity, all-in-ones

I am... someone who wants a smartphone I can use for work and leisure.


LG expects to roll out more than 10 smartphones this year and the majority will be Windows Mobile (WM) devices. The first of the lot, the GM730, was announced at the Mobile World Congress in March. This comes after the KS20 which was launched in early 2008. Although the GM730 will initially be shipped with Windows Mobile (WM) 6.1, users will get a free upgrade to WM6.5 when that becomes available. From the second-half of 2009, all WM devices will run on WM6.5.

Although LG has committed to bringing more smartphones using Microsoft's mobile OS, the company also has Android handsets on the cards for the latter half of the year. No other details are available at this point.

Aside from WM and Android, LG also has Symbian S60 devices and has to date launched four models based on this operating system. The latest, the KT770, runs on the 3rd Edition platform. Other recent models include the KS10 and the KT610 with QWERTY keyboard and alphanumeric keypad.

In this category:



LG GM730

The Windows Mobile smartphone was announced at this year's Mobile World Congress, more than a year after the KS20. It has a lot of similarities with the Samsung Omnia, including the design, a 5-megapixel camera and a raft of connectivity features.
LG KS20

The KS20, modeled after the LG Prada, is one of the more stylish Windows Mobile handhelds with a 2.8-inch touchscreen panel and a thickness of only 12.8mm.
LG KT610

The KT610 isn't LG's only Symbian S60 smartphone, but the Korean chaebol's lack of expertise in the operating system compared with Nokia is evident in the software. That said, the KT610 had an attractive price when it launched late last year.


Simple Connect

Affordable, entry-level, mass market

I am... someone who is looking for a basic phone to make calls, send text messages and listen to music occasionally.


According to LG, phones in the Simple Connect category, aside from their entry-level prices have one thing in common, that is they are revolved around "sound effects". We take that to mean that while there could be models without features such as a built-in camera or GPRS, these phones will sport at least an MP3 player or FM radio. The LG GB120 is one such example.

In 2007, the LG KU250, an entry-level 3G handset, won the 3G for All campaign organized by the GSMA. The program aimed to stimulate the development of low-cost mobile phones for first-time buyers in developing countries.

In this category:



LG GM200

This affordable multimedia phone comes with a stereo subwoofer, dual speakers, Dolby Mobile onboard, FM radio and a sensor dubbed Smart Profiling that selects the ringtone level based on the ambient noise level.
LG GB230

With a slightly more edgy design, the GB230 comes in a slider form factor and has a 2-megapixel camera, 2-inch display and Smart Profiling which is capable of automatically adjusting the volume of the ringtone by taking into account surrounding noise levels.
LG KU250

The KU250 candybar was the winning entry for the GSMA 3G for All campaign. It sports a 1.3-megapixel camera as well as an additional front-facing VGA shooter for video calls. It also supports tri-band GSM connectivity and Bluetooth.


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