LG chooses swivel-screen ‘Wing’ phone to make a comeback to India’s high-end smartphone market
LG Wing turns into a T-shaped dual-screen phone that opens multiple use cases.
Having been out of the limelight for a long time, LG on Wednesday launched a dual-screen, swiveling “Wing” phone, which is seen as the South Korean major’s comeback vehicle in India’s competitive high-end smartphone market. The Wing, which is a strange-looking device, turns into a T-shaped dual-screen phone that opens multiple use cases. The higher-end smartphone costs Rs 69,990 and will go on sale from November 9.
LG isn’t new to dual-screen smartphones, but the Wing is the company’s most experimental phone yet. The Wing has two screens, but instead of asking users to snap on the dual-screen attachment, LG bets on the swiveling display. So essentially, the primary display swivels 90-degree to reveal a smaller, secondary display underneath.
There are several advantages to this design and more so, the Wing opens up a whole new way to run apps. You can obviously run two apps at the same time; or watch a YouTube video on the main landscape screen and read comments on the secondary screen; or read a review of a restaurant on the main screen while Google Maps open on the secondary screen.
The LG Wing’s primary screen is a 6.8-inch P-OLED panel with a resolution of 1080 x 2460 pixels and curved edges. The secondary screen meanwhile is a 3.9-inch OLED panel with a 1080 x 1240 resolution.
The phone is constructed from premium materials, but the Wing is thicker and heavier than many smartphones at 260 grams and 10.8mm.
On the specs front, LG Wing is a mid-range phone. It is powered by a Snapdragon 765G processor and is 5G-enabled. The phone has a 4000mAh battery. The Wing has three cameras on the back, consisting of a 64MP main camera, a 13MP ultra-wide lens, and a 12MP ‘gimbal’ camera. Vivo X50 Pro is another smartphone that uses the same gimbal stabilisation system, meaning your still images will be steadier than ever.
Unlike Vivo, LG has designed a unique camera interface representing an actual gimbal-like experience. So the secondary screen on the bottom becomes a sort of controller for the camera with a virtual joystick. On the front, the phone has a 32MP pop-up selfie camera.
LG is banking on the success of the Wing to make a successful comeback to India, where the company’s market share is deplorable. The past mistakes by local leadership and the entry of Chinese smartphone vendors have played a key role in the erosion of LG’s market share in the world’s second-largest smartphone market.
The Wing is squarely aimed at Vloggers, YouTubers, and drone enthusiasts. But experts think LG needs to do much more to create a fan base of loyal customers, otherwise, the Wing smartphone would be a tough sell in India.
But the Wing is just one of the flagship phones coming to India. The company also launched the LG Velvet, a traditional smartphone with a 6.8-inch OLED screen and support for a dual-screen accessory. The 5G-ready smartphone is powered by a Snapdragon 765G processor and even features a headphone jack. The phone is priced at Rs 36,990 and will go on sale from October 30. LG will also sell the Velvet with dual-screen case, but you have to shell out Rs 49,990 for the bundle.
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