LG Electronics has unveiled the LG Optimus Black, the world's slimmest phone at 9.2mm and with the thinnest smartphone profile of 6.0mm. The LG Optimus Black will be rolled out globally in the first half of 2011. The phone will initially be released with Android 2.2 (codenamed Froyo) and will be upgradeable to Android 2.3 (codenamed Gingerbread).

The upgrade will allow users to utilize higher quality video telephony functions with the 2MP front-facing camera. The LG Optimus Black weighs only 109g, features a 1500 mAh battery, supports Wi-Fi Direct, and has software features for faster access to important apps and content: Optimus UI 2.0 lets users directly view messages, e-mails, and missed calls from the locked screen with just one finger tap while the Gesture UI offers lifting, shaking, and tapping, for taking calls, entering camera mode, or playing music.

The phone also features a dramatically brighter 4-inch NOVA display, designed to be the brightest, clearest, and most readable among mobile screens with 700 nits of brightness for optimal visibility. The NOVA technology also enables users to maintain visibility whether indoors or outdoors under strong sunlight, as it has higher levels of brightness and pure white tones that deliver true black and white colors. The NOVA display also radically reduces power consumption by 50 percent during general indoor use compared to a conventional LCD; meanwhile, AMOLED consumes twice as much power as NOVA to display a full white screen (think browsing).

"We are excited to introduce this stylish new Android smartphone and expect the LG Optimus Black to play a key role in the mobile market," Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company, said in a statement. "LG Optimus Black reflects our core strengths of advanced technology, in both display and design, offering the world's brightest screen and the world's slimmest design in an attractive and smart package."