LG's BL40 Black Label phone captured in the wild -- alongside a kid sibling

The more we see of LG's latest Black Label handset -- the mysterious BL40 -- the more we want to touch it, play with it, talk on it, and put it (or, at least try to put it) in our pockets. Shots of the bizarre-yet-beautiful phone have appeared over on a German forum where we're told the interface is S-Class-based, the screen is 800 x 345, and the camera is 5 megapixels strong with Schneider Kreuznach optics -- all specs that fall in line with what we've heard so far -- and there's also apparently WiFi, an FM transmitter, and about 335MB of free onboard storage (easily rectified with a huge microSD card, of course). What has us even more intrigued, though, is a single picture in the bunch that shows the BL40 next to a smaller, stouter device with virtually identical industrial design. We have no idea what it is, but it looks like LG might be poised to roll out a whole series of phones in this new Black Label line -- and which ones are Chocolate-branded is anyone's guess at this point. See what we mean after the break or hit up the read link for all the pics.

[Thanks, Anthony]

[bquist @ Jul 16th 2009 12:18AM]

Make it waterproof and/or solar powered!

I got a feeling these will never come to to the good 'ol USA
http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/19/sharps-solar-936sh-and-934sh-with-memory-lcd-headline-latest/

[zomg0t @ Jul 16th 2009 1:22AM]

Spamming that comment on Engadget is not going to get the attention of companies; even the commenters know better than to take this section seriously. Perhaps you can email the Presidents and CEOs of smartphone companies. I have a feeling you're using this frustrated comment to maks your advertisment for aaxa. Down-rank for you!

[Macca @ Jul 16th 2009 4:41AM]

Most phones, especially this one are more focused on sales to people unlike ourselves who would have no use for AV outputs.

And you dont need to casually tell us what fancy gadgets you own, then link us to them. We dont care...

[Timothy Luu @ Jul 16th 2009 12:18AM]

the smaller one is thechocolate :P im so good.

[JJ @ Jul 16th 2009 12:19AM]

ha. you wish.

[DBrim @ Jul 16th 2009 1:26AM]

One's fun size and the other is king size?

[InsaneBrainss @ Jul 16th 2009 10:06AM]

The smaller one is the BL42... It has the more classic chocolate look... It is rumored to have a 240x320 display and a 5-megapixel camera.

The alleged specs aren't much to get excited about, but make no mistake: This will be a popular phone. It's a proud grandson of the line's earliest models—with a slightly touchier front panel and (barely) tweaked styling—which sold about 10 million handsets worldwide, and continue to do well, despite being, well, old. Its beanpole brother can take care of the innovating; lil' 42 can take care of the money. No price or availability yet.

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5315943/lg-chocolate-bl40s-little-brother-outed-as-bl42-slider

[Gabe @ Jul 16th 2009 12:20AM]

Looks like someone crossbred an iPhone with a TV remote control.

[zomg0t @ Jul 16th 2009 12:21AM]

There's an app for that.

[Piz @ Jul 16th 2009 12:23AM]

Looks like someone crossbred an yp-p2 with a TV remote control more like

[K Hop @ Jul 16th 2009 12:21AM]

and i bet the smaller more domesticated brethren will be arriving for verizon, because they wouldn't dare put a game changing phone out to mass market right?

[joe @ Jul 16th 2009 12:27AM]

are you guys honestly kidding me? it is clearly the new lg chocolate. you guys posted a link a while back:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/13/lgs-next-gen-chocolate-bl40-teased-on-video-looks-good-enough/

[Chris Ziegler @ Jul 16th 2009 12:30AM]

Joe -- you didn't connect all the dots. Until just now, we didn't know there was more than one device that had the same glossy black finish with red edges, so we don't know which is the Chocolate.

[Icello @ Jul 16th 2009 12:32AM]

For the bigger one. Read the article before insulting the writer, please.
The smaller one is in my personal opinion, most likely the Chocalate 4/ Chocalte touch for Verizon.

[joe @ Jul 16th 2009 12:37AM]

icello- i totally agree with you. the smaller one has so many resemblances to the previous versions. and i highly doubt they would put such an advanced UI on a phone that has just been simply an affordable music phone in the past

[tamoghno @ Jul 16th 2009 12:23AM]

Looks like a chocolate bar stretched in a hot summer day !

[Piz @ Jul 16th 2009 12:25AM]

It has multitasking

[Michael Scrip @ Jul 16th 2009 12:46AM]

Multitask what?

Shit... we've already got iPhone apps, Palm Pre apps, Android apps, Windows Mobile apps.... now developers have to make LG compatible apps?

[James @ Jul 16th 2009 12:51AM]

@Michael

The more the merrier. Am i correct?

[Robot Overlord @ Jul 16th 2009 2:02AM]

i'm guessing it'll just run any run of the mill java apps. my phone is capable of running multiple java applications at one

[Authority. @ Jul 16th 2009 12:26AM]

what up son

[AndrewNoNumbers @ Jul 16th 2009 1:33AM]

Sup man.

[bandora @ Jul 18th 2009 8:23AM]

How you doin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Alek @ Jul 16th 2009 12:26AM]

Dude I want that chocolate bar melted and drizzled along my body. oh and licked up back megan fox.

[i.c. weiner @ Jul 16th 2009 12:43AM]

... you need to get checked out man. minus the megan fox part.

[rhcpsfan @ Jul 16th 2009 3:08AM]

Toe thumbs ruined megan fox for me!!!

[Adderz @ Jul 16th 2009 5:30AM]

Megan Fox is a talentless whore. No thankyou.

Megan Fox is relegated to my nightmares, Elisha Cuthbert and Kate Beckinsale reside in my dreams.

[Nightwing @ Jul 16th 2009 12:30AM]

Three questions....

Exact date...

Exact price...

Carrier is...

[Ypoknons @ Jul 16th 2009 1:15AM]

Carrier is... sounds American-centric, since people around the world don't buy their phones from carriers. This is Engadget English after all, not Engadget USA

[subscribe @ Jul 16th 2009 2:21AM]

@Ypoknons - you're such a 'tard. This is an American-centric blog. While posts go up about items in and from the international market you'll find that the posters, the origination and that most of the traffic is American. Further, the posts tend towards a discussion about when, where, how, and for how much will it appear in the U.S. markets. It, on a much less frequent basis, addresses prices, debut in the UK, Germany, France, et al.

Get educated before you write or just go away.

[Brown Robott @ Jul 16th 2009 12:33AM]

Multitasking - the one thing the JesusPhone will never have.

[HorizonSmoker @ Jul 16th 2009 12:52AM]

Hope it isn't just a stretched chocolate and actually lives up to the promo vid cause that was oh so sweet.

[mikethevee @ Jul 16th 2009 1:02AM]

that is a very. long. phone.

i feel it might look really wierd when you watch movies on it...

[JohnTitor @ Jul 16th 2009 1:07AM]

1. take iphone style icons
2. tilt isometrically
3. ???
4. profit

[coyo t @ Jul 16th 2009 1:43AM]

iphone style icons? no. icons? yes.

[mikethevee @ Jul 16th 2009 1:44AM]

This is not another iphone copy. seriously.
Apple is not the innovater of everything electronic. and the icons do not even look similar. FAIL more please.

[Jonathan @ Jul 16th 2009 1:53AM]

eh, the video was very iPhone inspired, mikethevee. I could make a list but it's obvious. Even the keyboard looked exactly the same as the iPhones. It's clearly LGs answer to iPhone, a Dare with more style. While the Prada existed first, it's OS is very different than the video for this new phone showed.

[sacapuntas @ Jul 16th 2009 2:39AM]

So John... how's everything working out with that time machine? Bring back a iphone 10g next time you come back from the future, okay ? ;P

[mikethevee @ Jul 16th 2009 2:39AM]

actually not really. there are some aspects that are similar but just because the "call"icon is on the left and they have cover art that looks like something from itunes (which makes it itunes inspired more than iphone), does not make it an iphone copy cat. also, the keyboard is not exactly the same. go look at the official BL40 trailer and compare it with the iphones. they are not the same. and lastly, the official trailer is in no way shape or form iphone inspired.
so no, the bl40 is not another ripoff from the iphone like most applefantards believe.
BL40 commerical:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyOlByIIRck
original iPhone commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lfmlKYZ-vU

now tell me if it's still iphone inspired. if you still say it is, i'm going to have to go ahead and rate your credibility as F-

[aj121489 @ Jul 16th 2009 10:30AM]

+1 for your South Park reference lol

[jarnail @ Jul 16th 2009 1:16AM]

Why's it look so long?

[sacapuntas @ Jul 16th 2009 1:42AM]

that's what she said about John Kerry's face....

[AlCabone @ Jul 16th 2009 3:26AM]

Size matters.

[Stayflyer @ Jul 16th 2009 1:21AM]

is that a remote or are you happy to see me oh it is a remote sorry

[AndrewNoNumbers @ Jul 16th 2009 1:34AM]

I love the smoked LG logo on the biggie.

[AndrewNoNumbers @ Jul 16th 2009 1:40AM]

But those are some fugly icons though, let's hope there's skinning.

[Nightwing @ Jul 16th 2009 1:58AM]

Why a button for multitasking?

Wonder if its using Gollia Glass from Corning like the Cowon S9...

And hope it got good battery life...

[Dannie @ Jul 16th 2009 5:42AM]

Wow thats stunning, I can kinda see the logic in the icons, as the diagonal positioning means your less likely to miss select. Also just a hunch, but maybe the smaller device is the new chocolate and the larger one will be the new Prada phone (awaiting rebranding)

[pika2000 @ Jul 16th 2009 2:45AM]

Release date on specific countries and price please.

[Gregorian @ Jul 16th 2009 3:12AM]

That last photo looks like it should have ape-men running around it having their brains evolved.