Today LG announced the latest addition to its Optimus smartphone family, confirming the upcoming launch of the Optimus Sol in Europe in September. The Optimus Sol, which will run on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), will sport a 3.8” ultra AMOLED display and boast a 1 GHz CPU and 512 MB memory. The phone’s name hints at the bright display, which is intended to enable users to view their content even in sunlight. This was one aspect of the Optimus Black that we appreciated, and if the Sol can live up to, or even better, improve on that notable display, then the Sol will be aptly named.

Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications, explained that the phone is intended to “stand out from its competitors as the most affordable 1 GHz Android smartphone with an AMOLED display”. The company elaborated that the improved ultra AMOLED display will have a two-fold advanced reflection rate compared to standard AMOLED displays, which will reduce image quality degradation.

The Sol will also include a number of energy saving features. LG explained that the smartphone will use an enhanced idle-based power management system that will boost battery life by 20% to 30%. Additionally, with the dark user interface, the phone will use less white light in order to extend the battery life performance further.

It seems as though the Sol will continue another tradition found on the Optimus Black, with a slim 9.8 mm profile. Additional features expected on the device include a microSD external slot for additional storage and a five megapixel camera. The Sol is expected to begin shipping during the course of September. At present, a launch date for South Africa and a recommended retail price has not yet been announced.

In recent news, LG announced an October launch date for the Optimus Pro.


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