Pricey
LG has officially announced the launch of its Optimus 3D handset, prompting a number of UK retail partners to dish the dirt on when the handset will be available, and how much for.
How much the Optimus 3D will cost, and when it will be shipped, is varying significantly from one seller to the next, with Clove currently offering the soonest release and best price - 11 July for £454.80. Play comes close at £469, available on 12 July, Amazon is asking for £499 with a 13 July release and Expansys takes the rear, with no release date and a £529 pre-order price. On the network side, Orange has the Optimus 3D up 'coming soon' with no pricing information - as a pay monthly handset, cost will vary depending on contract.
The Optimus 3D comes with Android 2.2 as standard, although this can be upgraded to 2.3. a 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 is fairly standard for this class of smartphone, as is the provision of 512MB of RAM and 8GB of flash memory (expandable via MicroSD).
The Optimus 3D's killer feature, and the clue to its moniker, is the capacitive 480 x 800 pixel touchscreen, which provides glasses-free 3D. Complementing the display is a 3D camera, which can record 720p stereoscopic 3D and 1080p 2D video, and take up to 5-megapixel stills.
The Optimus 3D is definitely pricey SIM-free, but contract prices should help mitigate the handset cost somewhat. The real question to its success will be whether consumers really care about 3D on their mobiles.
