More than a year after LG’s unexpected departure from the smartphone business and abandoning its plans to launch a “rollable” smartphone, a long hands-on video gives us a comprehensive look at the unreleased device. LG’s rollable phone was also revealed in a short clip earlier this year, but this new video showcases the phone’s design and features in a much more comprehensive way from every angle.
Interestingly, the device appears to be complete. While LG said it wanted to launch before the end of 2021, many thought it was a goal rather than a concrete plan. But this hands-on video shows a device nearly ready to ship to stores, complete with final-looking retail packaging and a box of accessories. XDA Developers states that LG is thought to be selling the remaining rollable prototypes to its employees, which may explain where this device came from.
Of course, we can say that the most important feature of this phone is the screen, which is 7.4 inches from corner to corner when fully opened and shrinks to 6.8 inches when rolled. Judging by the opening mechanism, the bezel of his phone is gradually widening to open its flexible OLED display. There is also a screen on the back of the device that looks like it can show notifications.
LG’s canceled phone uses a relatively powerful engine to power its screen, and this hands-on video shows it powerful enough to push a small stack of books across a desk. This system isn’t perfect, however, and there are some visible creases on the right side of the phone’s screen when opening. It’s also unknown how durable the screen is or how many rolls and flips it can withstand. Competitor smartphone maker Oppo told The Verge that LG wanted to achieve a 200,000-round rating before converting its prototype into a consumer device, and how close LG got before canceling the project remains a question mark.
It is also seen in the video that the circle on its back, which some previously thought was a third camera sensor, is actually a fingerprint reader that sits below the 64-megapixel main camera and 12-megapixel ultra-wide angle. Another fun detail is that the SIM card slot of the phone is hidden behind the phone and is revealed when the phone is opened.
The device is reportedly powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 processor (the high-end product of the year the device is scheduled to launch), 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and a 4,500mAh battery.