World's Thinnest Smartphone is Unveiled by LG, Millimeters Thinner than iPhone

LG today introduced the "Optimus Black," beating Apple's iPhone as the world's thinnest smartphone, and capitalizing on the company's push to become a major player in the industry. The South Korean electronics maker said the Optimus Black measures 9.22-millimeters wide, beating out the iPhone by a mere 0.08-millimeters.

The Android-powered Optimus Black also features a 4.0-inch touch screen display that uses LG's new "Nova" technology, which the company claims is the "brightest, clearest and most readable among mobile screens." Nova technology also reduces power consumption by 50 percent over traditional LED displays.

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The Optimus Black features a 2.0-megapixel front-facing camera for video calling, and can use Wi-Fi Direct to transfer data directly between mobile devices.

LG expects to launch the device in the first half of 2011, although pricing and carrier information have not been confirmed.

The Optimus Black is part of LG's recent push to reinvigorate itself in the highly-competitive smartphone sector, where it has been slipping in market share.

After a drop in shipments last year to 28.4 million units in the third quarter, down from 31.6 million units a year earlier, the company had decided to restructure itself to better develop new technologies to take on rivals such as Apple and Google. It has also stated its intention to overtake Samsung or Nokia for a top-two position in the global mobile phone market by 2012.

With an ultra-bright and ultra-light handset like the Optimus Black, LG angles to take the stage among the major players in the smartphone wars.

Original Article: http://www.mobiledia.com/news/78949.html