LG last week began teasing its newest Black Label phone, an upcoming model that will bear the Chocolate label, just like the original LG Black Label phone, the LG Chocolate. We last saw the LG Chocolate in the third version of the device, available on Verizon Wireless, and we've always appreciated the multimedia family. But with the newest iteration, LG seems to be kicking things up a notch. In what appears to be an official-looking promotional video, now on YouTube and first posted on Engadget, we get what could be a first look at the high-end feature phone that will take the reigns of the Chocolate family, and it looks like a stunner.
The LG Chocolate 4, also described as the LG BL40, could be a departure from the previous models with an ultra-wide touch screen dominating the front of the device. If rumored specs are true, this might be a 4-inch screen with an obscenely wide 21:9 aspect ratio. Although this ratio might seem a bit too wide, in fact the video shows how LG could use the extra space on either side of the screen to add soft keys and visual feedback, and still have plenty of room in the middle. The design in the supposedly leaked video is also in line with the official leaked shots of the upcoming LG Chocolate 4, though LG's official images don't show the screen in full view, or in fact any active applications running on the device.
Like other recent high-end LG phones, the LG Chocolate 4 might use a Flash-based, 3D UI, and the interface design we're seeing in the promotional video looks quite impressive. The phone will feature plenty of advanced features, including multi-touch for zooming and finger navigation. If the video is an official leak, LG isn't calling this UI an S-class interface, like on its flagship LG Arena phone, but the LG Chocolate has always been more of a mainstream device. In fact, the original Chocolate was by far the best selling phone LG ever created, so we expect the new LG Chocolate 4 will aim for a mass market appeal.
Other specs from the supposedly leaked video detail an already impressive looking device. The phone will use fast, 7.2Mbps HSDPA networking. All previous LG Chocolate models released in the U.S. have been available on Verizon Wireless' CDMA networks, but LG has proven adept at porting their designs between the two competing network technologies, so we wouldn't be surprised to see an EV-DO Rev. A version of this device show up on The Network.
The LG Chocolate 4 will also get a 5-megapixel camera, and some of the most impressive footage in the allegedly official promo video shows the camera interface in action. The video shows filters being applied to the camera on the fly in a very touch friendly format. Like other high-end LG models, the phone also appears to use Schneider Kreuznach branded lenses and imaging equipment.
The screen itself appears to be an extra-wide WVGA display, with a possible 800 by 345 pixel resolution. The LG video details a tempered glass finish, and claims that this will make the glass display nearly scratch proof. In addition, the LG Chocolate 4 will get aGPS for location-based services, and it will use multi-touch for pinch zooming on applications like the mapping software shown in the promo video.
We expect more information from LG in the coming days. With its networking specs, the LG Chocolate 4 would only work in the U.S. on AT&T's HSDPA network, but with the device's history as a Verizon Wireless exclusive, we'd be surprised to see this device hit the U.S. until LG has ported the technology to The Network. Pricing and specific availability have yet to be announced.
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