Although this has had a few leaks, including an accidental “official” one earlier, LG have now officially launched the LG Optimus 7 running Windows Phone 7.
The phone has a 3.8″ screen at 800×480 pixels, along with 16gb of internal memory.
See further text for the LG press release, with full details.
“LG Electronics (LG) today announced the global launch of its first Windows® Phone 7 devices, LG Optimus 7″
A direct result of LG and Microsoft’s close work together in the smartphone market, the LG Optimus 7 series offers the glance and go experience of Windows Phone 7 combined with unique features only available on the LG devices. These compelling applications — the DLNA-based Play To, augmented reality (AR) and Voice-to-Text — are available as Live Tiles on Windows Phone 7 and can be accessed via integrated “Hubs”.
“We have designed LG Optimus 7 series to include a truly innovative sharing experience via the Windows Phone 7 environment,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “Having worked closely with Microsoft to develop these fantastic devices, we are thrilled to now be able to reveal our vision of what a true Windows Phone 7 should be.”
Andy Lees, President of the Mobile Communications Business at Microsoft, added: “We are very excited to be working with LG, a mobile phone industry innovator. Windows Phone 7 is designed to bring together what you care about most and LG is a key partner in making that experience a reality for people around the world.”
New Experience in Sharing and Enjoying Entertainment
The LG Optimus 7 series offers a breakthrough in entertainment convenience by putting the mobile device at the centre of today’s digital lifestyle. With Play To, the DLNA-based multimedia sharing technology available only on LG Optimus 7 devices, users will have the most user-friendly file-sharing experience. LG is leading the innovation of DLNA technology by offering easy and intuitive settings for accessing this feature.
Play To lets users share multimedia files with other digital devices from the picture, video or music Hubs without having to access other menus. Users will be able to display videos and photos captured on their LG Optimus 7 or LG Optimus 7Q on a TV or enjoy music on their phones through their favourite speakers without wires.
ScanSearch, an AR application that connects users with a world of information, is another unique feature available only on LG Windows Phone 7 devices. Users can access real-time information about shopping, dining, weather, entertainment and banking, bringing together one’s online and offline worlds for a more enjoyable life.
Users can also speak up and be heard thanks to LG’s Voice-to-Text feature which allows communication without the need for finger input. LG Optimus series owners will have the freedom to transcribe their voice into text for updating Facebook and Twitter or composing emails and memos for the experience of convenient, hands-free communication.
The LG Optimus 7 series helps users enjoy a new era of entertainment through the introduction of Microsoft’s popular Xbox LIVE® and Zune® services. Consumers will have direct access to their favourite games and music, bringing all entertainment devices together for more convenient enjoyment.
Creating Powerful Digital Content
LG Optimus 7 and LG Optimus 7Q immerse users in the entertainment experience with the ability to create powerful digital content. The 720p HD video resolution offers recording and playback of stunning visual quality and is ideal for sharing online through social media and offline on a TV through Play To. The LG Optimus 7 series also offers 16:9 aspect capture and playback for shooting and viewing movies in cinematic style.
The advanced 5MP camera offers a host of technological enhancements from LG such as Intelligent Shot, which lets users take the perfect photo without having to adjust camera settings, and Panoramic Mode for stitching together a full 360-degree landscape scene.
Offering New Forms of Interaction
Windows Phone 7 introduces a new approach to the Start screen experience through Live Tiles that offer easier access to information and services from the Web and applications that are important to users. The six Hubs of the OS — People, Pictures, Games, Music + Video, Marketplace and Office — organise information on the phones in a whole new way, bringing together all related applications, services and content.
A Form Factor That Just Works
LG Optimus 7 comes with an expansive 3.8 inch WVGA LCD display that can capture every detail in a photo with its 800×480 pixels, the same resolution offered by the LG Optimus 7Q’s 3.5 inch display. The screen size makes the Optimus 7 series large enough for convenient web surfing but svelte enough to fit in any back pocket. The generous 16GB of internal memory is enough to store hundreds of MP3 files, hours of video and hundreds of applications. What’s more, the extra large 1500mAh removable battery is good for hours of internet browsing, e-book reading or game playing. Or for simply talking.
In order to offer a choice of form factors for its Windows Phone 7 series, the LG Optimus 7Q was designed with an ergonomic QWERTY keypad. LG Optimus 7Q is the perfect companion for those who want to get full value from the Windows Phone 7 Office experience with Microsoft Word® Mobile, Microsoft PowerPoint® Mobile, OneNote® Mobile and Excel® Mobile functions built-in.”