LG Launches Dual-Core Smartphone

LG’s Optimus 2X handset, the first dual-core smartphone to hit the market, has launched in Korea, with a UK launch date now set for 18 March.

LG is also planning to release a white version of the handset in February, according to images provided in the company’s press office.

Dual-core phones

Motorola’s Atrix, shown at CES earlier this month, is also set to use dual-core technology.

The Optimus 2X was first announced in the UK via network operator Vodafone, and is set to be available free with contracts starting from £30.65 per month, including unlimited texts, 300 minutes and 500MB of data.

The handset is also available SIM-free from retailers such as Expansys, where it is selling for £499.99.

Officially unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, LG’s flagship handset runs Android 2.2 (Froyo) and uses an Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor, making it the world’s first mobile device to boast dual-core technology.

According to LG, the Optimus 2X promises a faster web browsing experience and smoother gameplay, while allowing users to multitask with “virtually no screen lag”. LG’s Optimus 2X handset is upgradeable to Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), although the company has yet to announce the upgrade schedule.

Technical specifications

The device comes with a four-inch WVGA (Wide VGA) display and offers 1080p HD video recording and playback capabilities. It also includes an eight-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.3-megapixel model on the front for video calling, along with a micro SD slot, micro USB port and a 1500 mAh battery.

“With unique features such as HDMI [High Definition Multimedia Interface] mirroring and exceptional graphics performance, the LG Optimus 2X is proof of LG’s commitment to high-end smartphones in 2011,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, CEO and President of LG Electronics Mobile Communications, in a statement earlier this month.