Claiming that some consumers are "put off by the complexity" of more advanced smartphones, LG is sticking with simplicity for its GD510.
LG calls the GD510 "the most compact 3-inch full touch screen phone ever made," whatever that means. The company didn't qualify its statement with measurements, but pointed to the phone's 3-inch screen with a narrow 4.8 mm bezel. While plenty of phones already extend most of the way to the edges of the phone, this is fairly elegant for a low-end touch screen.
The phone plays music and movies and has a Web browser. For hardware, there's a 3-megapixel camera and an impressive 8 GB of internal memory, but no word on whether Wi-Fi or 3G support will be included. The inclusion of a solar-powered charger is a nice touch.
LG may be onto something by selling a phone that's intentionally less capable than, say, an iPhone or a Palm Pre. A similarly simple phone, the LG Cookie, has sold 7 million units since it launched in November 2008. The company says phones like the Cookie and the GD150 address a gap in the market left by higher-end products (including its own LG Chocolate line).
Unfortunately, LG isn't ready to start talking price, which I think will be the real driver for this phone. Frankly, I don't buy LG's internal research that says customers are confused by the advanced features of high-end smartphones. It's just a matter of cost. But with both the iPhone 3G and the Palm Pre available for $99, wireless carriers will practically have to give the GD510 away with a service contract.
The LG GD510 will be released to Europe in mid-October, with other markets to follow. I'm guessing the price will be revealed along with wireless carriers.