- LG has launched Velvet 4G and Wing in India.
- The Wing starts at ~ $ 947 and goes on sale November 9.
- The Velvet 4G retails for ~ $ 500 and can be purchased starting October 30.
LG confirmed earlier this month that it would hold an event for the Wing’s Indian launch on October 28, and now it has. In addition to launching the quirky rotating smartphone, the company has also confirmed the availability of the Velvet 4G.
The two phones share some features, such as an in-display fingerprint sensor, a 6.8-inch FHD + OLED display, 128GB of expandable storage, 4+ fast charging capabilities, Bluetooth 5.1, and NFC support. But otherwise, they differ dramatically in almost every other category.
What to expect from LG Wing
Starting with the Wing, we are looking at the same proposal as before. That means you can rotate the front of the phone 90 degrees to reveal a 3.9-inch secondary screen underneath. This allows you to run two applications at the same time (one on each screen) or run a compatible application on both screens. For example, having video on the main 6.8-inch OLED panel, while the media playback controls are accessible on the smaller screen.
The LG Wing also includes a Snapdragon 765G 5G chipset, 8GB of RAM, and a 4,000 mAh battery. Camera tasks are handled by a 32MP pop-up selfie shooter at the front, while a triple rear camera can be found at the rear (64MP main, 13MP ultrawide, 12MP ultrawide). Yes, it has two wide angle shooters.
LG’s phone also has a “Gimbal Mode” which allows you to grip the Wing’s second screen like a gimbal and access some cool features with the 12MP shooter. Some of the features include camera angle control (presumably just cropping), a lock to reduce shake, and the pan-tracking function.
The phone also includes wireless charging and IP54 splash resistance, two features you might not expect for such a radical design.
What about the Velvet 4G?
The LG Velvet 4G swaps out the upper mid-range Snapdragon 765G processor seen in the 5G variant in favor of the Snapdragon 845 processor. This chipset was the flagship SoC of 2018, but is it actually a downgrade from the Snapdragon 765G of the was it 2020?
Well, our own tests show that the new mid-range silicon outperforms the Snapdragon 845 when it comes to single-core performance, while also performing better in the mixed / system-wide benchmarks. But the 2018 flagship processor outperformed the Snapdragon 765G when it comes to GPU benchmarks and multi-core performance. So it’s more of a sideways move than anything else, although system updates may be a concern in the future.
Regardless, the Velvet 4G also offers 6GB of RAM, a 4,300mAh battery, and an IP68 rating. The phone also boasts a less impressive rear camera setup compared to the Wing, which offers a 48MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide shooter, and a 5MP depth lens. A 16MP camera in a waterdrop notch takes care of the selfies.
However, the 4G phone is still compatible with the dual screen case, giving you a rudimentary folding experience by adding a second screen to the mix. This second screen allows you to run two applications at the same time (one on each screen) or run the same application on both screens.
Pricing and availability
The LG Wing has a retail price of Rs 69,990 (~ $ 947), with sales starting from November 9. More intrigued by the LG Velvet 4G? It starts at Rs 36,990 (~ $ 500), while the bundle with the included dual screen case is available for Rs 49,990 (~ $ 676). Either way, Velvet sales start on October 30.
Do you think LG set the prices for the Wing and Velvet 4G models? Give us your opinion in the comments below.
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