LG caused a sensation last month when the Wing smartphone was officially launched. The phone looks like a regular device beforehand, but slide the main screen aside and you have a smaller screen underneath.
The LG Wing design is clearly unique in the modern smartphone space, but the company confirmed that it is only the first device in their new Explorer Project line of standout phones. Fortunately, between leaks and official teasing, we have a good idea of what to expect next.
All the signs point to an LG rollable display smartphone, and we’ve rounded up all of the major leaks, info drops, and rumors below to get a better idea of what to expect. Make sure you bookmark this page as we will be updating it regularly!
LG rollable phone name and release date
The first obvious name we came up with for the LG rollable phone was Project B, thanks to a report from The Elec in July 2020. It was alleged that the project was named after CEO Kwon Bong-seok. However, this definitely seemed like an internal code name rather than the final name.
It’s worth noting that the LG Wing’s name apparently started as a code name before the company actually decided on it as the final name. But “Project B” doesn’t roll off your tongue as easily as “Wing”.
Read: LG Buying Guide – Everything You Need To Know
LetsGoDigital uncovered a potential name on Nov. 4th and determined that LG applied for the Rollable name. The submission indicates that this is related to the smartphone space rather than the TV arena or anything else. It suggests that the company has chosen a name, but that is not yet a guarantee.
As for the release date, The Elec initially noted a “early 2021” launch before later adding that the launch is expected in March 2021. This means that it could appear after the Samsung Galaxy S30 series, which is expected to hit the market in January 2021.
LG rollable phone design
LG patents revealed by Asia time A mobile device with a pull-out display that was activated by pulling on the side of the device was shown back in June. However, that patent also showed a rather strange folding mechanism (i.e. a rollable foldable phone) that allows for a pseudo laptop form factor. Check it out below.
We suspect this is not related to the LG Rollable or Project B device and may be a completely different design that LG has been playing with. After all, combining a rollable / pull-out display with a foldable form factor would likely be a gigantic technical challenge.
LetsGoDigital In addition, a patent application for a rollable LG smartphone with a pull-out display on the left and right was uncovered. It’s also worth noting that pulling back the displays results in a phone that looks more like a 16: 9 screen than today’s 18: 9, 20: 9, and even 21: 9 screen ratios. You can view an image below courtesy of the outlet.
LG itself teased the rollable phone at the end of its Wing launch event, showing a screen retracting and pulling out of a smartphone. You can still view this animation in the video by jumping to the 1:05:35 mark. And you can view a screenshot of the device below.
Specifications and features for LG rollable phones
We haven’t heard anything about the features of the LG rollable phone aside from the extended screen, which previously pissed the company off. It’s also unclear whether the new phone will feature Gorilla Glass or if the design means that this protection option will have to be foregone.
Both the LG Wing and the Velvet used upper mid-range silicon in the Snapdragon 765G processor. So we wouldn’t be surprised if the new phone took over powering the Snapdragon 700 series again as it could likely allow for a cheaper price point. On the other hand, it’s also possible that we’re seeing the Snapdragon 875 processor here if the Korean brand is aiming well above $ 1,000.
A radical design like this doesn’t fill our hopes for a large battery, as the inside of the phone must accommodate the pull-out screen and its associated mechanisms. Nevertheless, LG surprised us with the Wing and its 4,000mAh battery. Sure, this isn’t the largest size, but it is definitely adequate and perhaps unexpected given the phone’s unique design.
Prices and availability
Again, pricing is currently an unknown amount. However, on the LG Wing, we can get an idea of what to expect from future Explorer Project devices. The swivel phone is available for around $ 1,000. So we assume that the rollable LG device starts at a similar price in the best of cases. However, the rollable seems to be a more ambitious, technically demanding project. So we wouldn’t be surprised if we looked at prices similar to the current leaflets instead.
The Elec A launch window for March 2021 was previously mentioned, which means the phone will likely come out in either the same month or April. The US and Korea will likely get the LG rollable phone first as they were part of the first wave to get the Wing.
That’s all we know about the LG rollable phone so far! We’ll update this article regularly as soon as the latest rumors and tidbits emerge.