The LG Wing may be something of a curiosity due to its radical new form factor, but it’s also a serious contender in the folding phone realm – especially now that we know how much it costs.
LG’s ambitious swivelling phone will cost a full $1000 less than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2, coming in at just $999. For comparison, Samsung’s latest folding device costs a whopping$1,999 / £1,799 / AU$2,999.
The LG Wing will be available with US mobile operator Verizon from October 15, and preorders are available right now. While $999 is still a lot for a smartphone, even if it does gamble on an inventive new format, it’s also undercutting other foldable phones by at least half the price, which may end up helping the LG Wing dominate the market.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2 is an impressive foldable phone by several accounts, and Samsung’s third foldable smartphone overall. Its screen size rivals devices like Microsoft’s Surface Duo and Samsung’s own Galaxy Fold, but it retains the same form and shape of most foldable devices on the market.
The LG Wing, on the other hand, chooses to defy convention in almost every single way; it features a 6.8-inch display that can swivel up and around to the top of the phone, revealing a second 3.9-inch panel underneath. It accomplishes this unique T-shaped arrangement by way of a special hinge.
Flipping the phone is similar to the type of unfolding that accompanies the classic T-Mobile Sidekick, and it’s just as easy to slide the top display back down so the phone resembles a typical candy bar model again.
In the aptly-named Swivel Mode, the LG Wing offers a new way for users to engage with their device. The main screen is perfect for watching video content of navgating menus, while the smaller, vertical portion can handle all of your menial tasks, like reading comments or scrolling through texts.
The bottom panel also functions as a handy grip to hold the handset while you focus your attention on the main panel – in fact, there’s even a dedicated Grip Lock mode specifically geared to facilitate this. More
