By Reuben Lee
07/03/2007
URL: http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/mobilephones/0,39050603,61994137,00.htm

	LG executives showing off the new handsets at the press event in Korea.

SEOUL, KOREA--LG this week invited the media from Asia, the Middle East and Africa to its homeland for a glimpse of its latest phones, among them the much-talked-about Shine slider, a candy-bar Shine handset as well as the company's answer to the iPhone, the Prada phone.

According to an LG spokesperson, the Shine will also be introduced with HSDPA/3G, but that version (a.k.a. KU970) is expected to come to Asia only in June or July 2007. The upgraded Shine slider will sport a similar form factor and feature set as the original Shine (KE970), but will come with a larger onboard memory and second camera for video calls. The non-3G version (KE970) is slated to launch in selected Asia markets in April.

LG also plans to bring a candy-bar version of the Shine to Asia. Called the KE770, this handset measures just 9.9mm thick and will be encased in a full stainless steel body, similar to the KE970.

	LG's candy-bar version of the Shine (click for more info)

The Shine is LG's second phone series, after the Chocolate, under its Black Label premium handset portfolio. A third Black Label series, as LG has revealed to journalists, is expected later this year. The company is targeting to sell 5 million units of the Shine worldwide by end 2007. The Chocolate slider, which sold more than eight million units globally, is LG's most successful mobile phone to date, according to company executives.

Like the Apple iPhone, the Prada Phone features a slim, stylish design with full touchscreen display. It is the first in a mobile phone series introduced as a result of a collaboration between LG and luxury brand Prada. According to LG, its partnership with Prada is more than just adding a luxury label to the handset. From the design and user interface to the colors, Prada is said to have been closely involved in the entire production process. It is also believed that the luxury brand had earlier rejected working with other handset makers, prior to its commitment to LG.

	LG's Prada Phone (click for more info)

At the press conference, LG shared with journalists some of its plans to expand its presence in the cellular industry. These included focusing on strategic CDMA markets, improving distribution channels and working closely with operators. The Korean mobile phone maker plans to sell 78 million handsets worldwide in 2007, with 13.5 million GSM models coming from Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

In a press release, the Korean handset manufacturer indicated that it will introduce two new editions of its popular Chocolate slider, to be called the Chocolate Gold and Chocolate Platinum. These mobiles come with upgraded features such as a 2-megapixel camera and onboard microSD card expansion slot.

Another slider, the LG KS10, is also expected to debut in Asia. Together with the Shine (KU970), the KS10 will be among the first LG handsets to offer HSDPA connectivity. The KS10 also comes with a 2-megapixel camera, QVGA display, expandable memory slot and full Internet browsing capability.

LG's 2007 product portfolio

Model name	In a nutshell
LG Shine (KE770) Click for the full review	Cool factor: LG's candy-bar version of its Shine phone. Notable features: Triband with EDGE 2-megapixel camera with flash 1.77-inch 176x220-pixel TFT display with 262K colors Bluetooth 1.2 with A2DP stereo profile 50MB onboard memory; microSD card slot 105 x 46 x 9.9mm; 125g Availability: June/July 2007
LG Shine (KE970) Click for the full review	Cool factor: LG's new stylish slider features a metallic casing and mirror-finish front LCD. Notable features: Triband with EDGE 2-megapixel camera with autofocus 2.2-inch QVGA TFT display with 262K colors Bluetooth 1.2 50MB onboard memory; microSD card slot 99.8 x 50.6 x 13.8mm Availability: Expected in April 2007
Prada Phone by LG Click for more specs and images	Cool factor: LG's answer to the iPhone. Notable features: Triband with EDGE Full touchscreen display Supports handwriting recognition 2-megapixel camera Music and video player Bluetooth and USB connectivity 8MB onboard memory; microSD card slot Document viewer; Macromedia Flash UI 98.8 x 54 x 12mm; 85g Availability: Expected in April 2007
LG Chocolate Gold (KE800) Click for more specs and images	Cool factor: LG's upgrade to the Chocolate slider Notable features: Triband with EDGE 2-megapixel camera with autofocus 320x240-pixel TFT display with 262K colors Music and video player 60MB onboard memory; microSD card expansion slot Bluetooth 1.2 95 x 46 x 16.4mm Availability: Mid-March 2007
LG Chocolate Platinum (KE800) Click for more specs and images	Cool factor: LG's upgrade to the Chocolate slider Notable features: Triband with EDGE 2-megapixel camera with autofocus 320x240-pixel TFT display with 262K colors Music and video player 60MB onboard memory; microSD card expansion slot Bluetooth 1.2 95 x 46 x 16.4mm Availability: Mid-March 2007
LG KS10 Click for more specs and images	Cool factor: LG's HSDPA-enabled slider Notable features: Triband with HSDPA Dual cameras (2-megapixel and VGA) 2.4-inch 320x240-pixel TFT display with 262K colors Full Internet browsing capability Built-in MP3 player 60MB onboard memory; microSD card expansion slot Bluetooth 1.2 103 x 51 x 18.7mm Availability: Q3 2007