LG is preparing a smartphone launch on Sept. 14 for its long teased rotating phone. Called the LG Wing, this device will feature a 6.8-inch display that can swivel from vertical to horizontal, revealing another 4-inch panel behind it.
And now an official looking render of the LG Wing has leaked, a long with some videos that show how this strange thing will work.
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The most recent LG Wing leak comes via Evan Blass (via 9to5 Google), which shows the front and back of the device. As you swivel the top display around, you'll be able to use the bottom 4-inch panel in various positions.
Unfortunately, the secondary display seems to have sizable bezels, which detracts from the aesthetic appeal of the device. Based on the render, it looks like the LG Velvet will be offered in white and black with a triple-camera array on the back.
LG Wing use cases
So what can you do with the LG Wing? In the first Wing video making the rounds, posted by Android Authority, a person is driving and has their Wing attached to a car windshield mount. The top panel is already spun out, and so the larger, now vertical display handles maps and navigation duties while the smaller one shows media controls. At a certain point, the driver receives a phone call, which they're able to accept from the second screen as well.
Another video from the same source shows the Wing being used for gaming. The title in question, which looks to be Asphalt 9 Legends, reserves gameplay for the main display while the track map is housed on the 4-inch panel underneath.
Finally, another clip demonstrates how the Wing's top display swivels back into place. Holding the phone normally, the Wing takes on a "T" shape, though the individual in the video appears to have a bit of a difficult time moving the display with one hand while also holding the phone.
Once the top panel returns to its starting position, we see that the Wing only appears to be slightly thicker than a conventional candy bar-style phone on account of its extra screen real estate.
In a year flush with foldables, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Microsoft's Surface Duo, the LG Wing might actually take the prize for the year's weirdest.
LG is no stranger to odd handsets, having released the G Flex in 2013 at the very beginning of the industry's fascination with curved displays. All well and good, except the G Flex's screen was curved from top to bottom — not side to side — which unfortunately didn't prove all that useful or intuitive, especially when you wanted to shove the phone into your pocket.
The rationale for the LG Wing would seem to be that a phone with more displays is more beneficial for multitasking than a phone with just one, but the leaked design could present an ergonomic challenge.
Under the hood, the phone is said to sport Qualcomm's midrange 5G-capable chipset, the Snapdragon 765G. The Velvet used the same CPU to good effect, as we found in our LG Velvet review. There could be as many as three cameras on the back of the Wing, according to ETNews.
We're sure LG has envisioned a multitude of scenarios where the Wing's unique design may prove helpful, and it'll be sharing those when it officially reveals the Wing on Sept. 14.
