LG aiming to ship 'a couple' of Windows Phone 7 devices by year-end

The company's not committing to any US carriers just yet (ahem), but LG is already puffing up its chest and talking big about its impending Windows Phone 7 release plans. To date, all we've had to go on was Microsoft's vow of seeing WP7 devices on store shelves before this holiday season, but now Ken Hong, an LG representative in Seoul, has offered a wee bit more insight regarding his company in particular. To quote: "We have a deep relationship with Microsoft so expect to have a couple [of Windows Phone 7 handsets] by the end of this year." That aligns rather nicely with what we heard ourselves back in Feburary, and given that LG's mobile division has seen some rather unsightly losses in its most recent quarterly earnings, we're guessing the company's more than eager to push out the next big thing.

[shishi Posted Jul 28th 2010 12:38PM]

I'm with whichever manufacturer that offers:

4.1" screen
512 or more RAM
1.5 GHz processor
8 mpx cam w/ flash
8 GB memory
microUSB
HDMI out
the usual (Bluet, GPS, wifi, yadda yadda yadda)

If they want to throw in a keyboard, that's fine by me, but I don't really need it that much (WP7 virtual keyboard looks to be pretty good).

[N900 Posted Jul 28th 2010 12:50PM]

@shishi Well, there's the Dell Lightning. It doesn't have your checklist completely fulfilled, but it comes pretty close. http://www.engadget.com/photos/dell-lightning-the-ultimate-windows-phone-7-device-leaks/#2915881

[xdeiri Posted Jul 28th 2010 12:42PM]

i thought you dont care about LG ENGADGET?

[UCFw00t Posted Jul 28th 2010 12:47PM]

How can you miss that they'll be launching their first in September?

[Nn4458 Posted Jul 28th 2010 12:57PM]

If you read the source it says it will be launched by the end of September. That's about two months away so we should start seeing more info about this pop up.

[rmbrown09 Posted Jul 28th 2010 1:01PM]

The Apple fanboy in me says Windows 7 phone will fail hard.

The objective realist in me says Windows 7 phone will fail hard - do ok, but worse than hoped/ expected.

[tegz Posted Jul 28th 2010 1:41PM]

@rmbrown09
more like the apple fanboy inside of you is afraid of competition. ios is old and busted. it has been the same thing for 3 years. nothing has really changed while android is evolving every few months.

[shishi Posted Jul 28th 2010 1:08PM]

Some websites claim that WP7 won't support HD video playback at launch (October '10). :-(

The basic WP7 hardware will be able to encode HD video, so it's extremely weird that they won't support playback, considering encoding uses more resources than playback.

I'm guessing MS is focusing 100% on the "experience" (menus, fluidity, social integration) and leaving some features for later (a la iPhone and their successful pitch at the "average Joe").

[loseover4 Posted Jul 28th 2010 3:34PM]

@shishi but the Zune HD now support HD playback, and even Zune software supports XVID

[Joao Cagao Posted Jul 28th 2010 1:27PM]

There's no chance that Windows Phone 7 is going to get any significant market share. No chance....

[tegz Posted Jul 28th 2010 1:49PM]

@Joao Cagao
nobody cares about what an apple fanboy says

[Joao Cagao Posted Jul 28th 2010 2:01PM]

@tegz
Ha ha ha! You clueless tool! What I posted is EXACTLY what your dream date Steve Ballmer said about the iPhone. I just substituted Windows Phone 7 for iPhone.
Microsoft; stupid, clueless mook for a CEO, stupid, clueless mooks for fans!

[DigDug Posted Jul 28th 2010 1:29PM]

I seriously worry about an OS that can't manage to fit entire words (e.g., "Frebrua" above) onto the screen. I mean, what does the "calend" look like, particularly the "month vi"? Or how about trying to find a "ntact" or use the "alcula"? Maybe the OS will integrate well with "aceboo" or "outub". Frankly, I just chalk it up to "rosoft bullsh."

[tegz Posted Jul 28th 2010 1:43PM]

@DigDug
ms bs, good one. they're called UI design elements. something you're probably not used to. you're probably used to a grid of icons filling up the screen.

[DigDug Posted Jul 28th 2010 3:59PM]

@tegz

Yeah, kinda like, BB, Symbian, Android, iOS, WebOS, and virtually every other modern mobile OS out there. WM7 is the only one I can think of that specifically AIMS to have words/sections cut off like that so the user cant read the entire text without having to scroll. Imagine the fun it will be to read emails.

[PAP3RCLIPS Posted Jul 28th 2010 4:33PM]

@DigDug wow you are so ignorant it isn't even funny. Anyone with a brain could figure out that something like "marketplac" reads marketplace. Text that us cut off severely is text that isn't essential to read. For example, the email app, which you somehow missed, just may end up being the best email app at launch if it supports threaded messaging. Every email us easy to read because since it's important information, it isn't cut off in the least. Why don't you read the in depth review here before you embarrass yourself.

[DigDug Posted Jul 28th 2010 4:48PM]

@PAP3RCLIPS

So microsoft gets to determine what is important text and what isnt? Um, ok I concede, I am totally ignorant. I simply didnt realize that WP7 OS is one of "many" OS's where screen text for things like dates, apps, etc. is cut off. But to help educate me, can you please tell me 2 or 3 other major mobile OS's that practice this apparently "common" feature?

[DigDug Posted Jul 28th 2010 5:04PM]

@PAP3RCLIPS

Maybe this is the source of my "ignorance"...

From Engadget: QUOTE - "the controversial cut-off text is still present, and while we happen to like the way it looks, it's definitely an acquired taste, and there are times when it just doesn't work, like in the Office hub where PowerPoint looks like it reads "PowerPoi."

From Inforworld - “Plus, Microsoft has done its usual trick of gumming up the UI, even though this one is relatively simple. There are two ways to navigate through tiles: in panorama mode and in pivot mode. In both cases, the tile continues to the right, and you swipe to see more. In panorama mode, cut-off text on the right indicates there’s more (at Mobile Beat, a developer asked if users knew what that cut-off text was for, and the Microsoft rep essentially admitted they didn’t get it was a way to say “more”). In pivot mode, each tile is self-contained, and there is an icon to indicate there is more.

[To Hell Posted Jul 28th 2010 1:31PM]

I'm weary of choosing LG as my handset to get WP7 after living with a junky LG Dare. That phone. I hate. So much!

[msunardi Posted Jul 28th 2010 1:40PM]

For some reason, I never liked LG or Samsung phones... I'll wait for Dell Lightning for my WP7 phone

[wisausnk Posted Jul 28th 2010 1:48PM]

I dont trust LG Smartphones they look good but often the Components are not the best.

[kenny goo Posted Jul 28th 2010 3:35PM]

Sorry WP7, but no side loaded apps, removable storage, multi-tasking, VoIP, tethering, Flash/HTML5/Silverlight, and no copy/cut/paste at launch means I'll probably be passing on Windows Phone 7. It's easily my second choice, but right now Android 2.1+ on that G1 Blaze has got me sold.

Nuff said.

[sinaplenty Posted Jul 28th 2010 3:44PM]

Last time LG put out a properly desirable smartphone? anyone? anyone? bueller?

[tumadre Posted Jul 28th 2010 3:53PM]

Cant wait!!!!!!!!, WP7

[bj55555 Posted Jul 28th 2010 3:54PM]

So let me get this straight. The lack of multitasking (even though 99% of the apps don't need it) and copy and paste (even though you'd need it once every blue moon) trumps Mobile Office, Xbox Live integration, Zune integration, and cloud service integration? This is the reason why people still buy underspec'd smartphones that regularly drop calls. No sense of priority.

[DigDug Posted Jul 28th 2010 4:03PM]

bj, you would have a point, except that a certain mobile OS was literally burned at the stake by commentors for the better part of 2 years almost exclusively because of no MT or cut and paste.

Call it 'karma' (or in WP7 speak, 'Kar')

[sinkingshriek Posted Jul 28th 2010 4:48PM]

Microsoft better come up with good hardware deal for Windows Phone 7..Windows Phone 7 is pretty and all but in today's market hardware matters as well.

[jasondblack Posted Jul 28th 2010 6:26PM]

I just want someone to build and sell the phone design that Microsoft used in it's initial videos. Simple ane sleek. What more can you ask for?