Want to know when LG’s new Optimus phones, the not-very-cleverly branded One and Chic, will hit local stores? LG spilled the beans at an Australian event that tied in with the global press launch tonight.
The LG One will launch in October and will initially be an Optus exclusive for contract purchasers, though you’ll also be able to pick it up as an outright buy for $349. While there’s frankly nothing very remarkable about it based on my quick play with it — it’s just another Android phone, and one without a flash on the camera — having an Android 2.2 model in the market for that money is quite appealing.
There’s no final word yet on when the Chic (which is, as the name suggests, pretty much aimed at female consumers though LG doesn’t quite seem to want to admit it) will appear here, but LG says that it is in talks with carriers and is aiming for Q1 2011.
LG Australian marketing head Brad Reed also discussed the reception to date of the existing Optimus model, which has been on sale here since June. He described LG as “moderately happy” with sales, which we think translates as “Bloody Apple Bloody iPhone 4 Bloody HTC”.
Finally, LG confirmed that the Optimus brand will be used across all its smart phones, not just those running Android, which is pretty much an outright admission that there’ll be Windows Phone 7 versions of the platform in a month or so.