LG Wing: New rotating dual-screen smartphone revealed in video

One screen on the phone is shown with mapping information while the other, smaller screen has music playback controls

LG is seemingly developing a new dual-screen phone, codenamed “Wing”.

As opposed to other dual-screen devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Microsoft’s Surface Duo, the LG Wing folds from its portrait orientation to a T-formation, according to Android Authority which obtained a video of the new smartphone.

In the video, the left-hand side of the Android device shows full-screen navigation information, while the smaller right-hand screen has controls for music and buttons to answer or reject an incoming call.

Neither screen of the phone appears to feature a notch or hole-punch front-facing camera, which would be used for selfies and face-unlock functions.

Other notchless devices, such as Huawei’s Mate X and Mate Xs foldables, bypass this issue with a screen that folds onto the device’s back, next to the main camera.

As such, users can take advantage of the main camera for their selfies, rather than relying on a lesser lens.

More conventional smartphones, like the OnePlus 7 Pro, use a pop-up camera for selfies and face-unlock. It is more likely this is the approach LG will take if it does not have some sort of notch.

The rumoured LG Wing is expected to have a 6.8-inch main screen and 4-inch second screen, and either the Snapdragon 765 or 765G processor.

As information about this device is limited, many questions remain about exactly how the second display functions: is the second screen limited to only LG’s suite of apps, or can third-party applications also be loaded onto it?

Android Authority also speculates that the notification menu could be moved to the second screen entirely, or used to play video games like Nintendo 3DS.

Release dates, and pricing, for this device also remain a mystery, although the high price tags of other dual-screen devices indicate that the Wing will also be more expensive compared to flagship devices.

LG has recently been releasing more smartphones, despite having a comparably smaller user base compared to Apple and Samsung.

In May, the company announced a mid-range flagship called the Velvet, with a new design aesthetic for its camera, stylus support, and the ability to record ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) audio.

It also has a history of developing dual-screen phones, such as the LG G8X ThinQ. This device had a second screen accessory that attached to the phone via a LG-designed case, rather than being built into the device itself.

LG is not the only company experimenting with its first true dual-screen device. Google is also expected to release a foldable Pixel device in 2021, according to leaked documents.