LG Wing is official: Everything you need to know about the swiveling phone

Credit: Supplied by LG

We first heard about the LG Wing in the first half of the year, with murmurings that the firm was working on a whacky form factor. The idea of a phone with a smaller, second screen that pops out from the back sounded really outlandish, but it’s real and it’s finally here.

What should you expect from this offbeat smartphone? And is it a one trick pony or does it have much more to offer? Here’s what you should know about the LG Wing.

Editor’s note: This LG Wing buyer’s guide is current as of September 2020. We will regularly update it with new content.

LG Wing: At a glance

Credit: Supplied by LG

The LG Wing is the first phone in the manufacturer’s Explorer Project, promising innovative designs in the smartphone space. Of course, the dominant design feature here is the second screen that pops out from the back to sit at a perpendicular angle to the main screen. But another noteworthy design decision is a 32MP pop-up selfie camera, hidden at the top of the rear half.

Meanwhile, the LG Wing’s core specs are a Snapdragon 765G chipset with 5G, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and a 4,000mAh battery. The chipset in particular isn’t quite flagship-level, but LG is hoping that the camera experience is.

The Wing packs a rather interesting rear camera setup, featuring a 64MP main camera, 13MP ultra-wide shooter, and a 12MP “Ultra Wide Big Pixel” camera. LG says you also have a “Gimbal Motion Camera” feature which allows you to use the second screen as a grip and delivers a suite of capabilities to the 12MP camera.

Some of the touted photo/video capabilities in this regard include a “joystick” for controlling the camera angle, a lock mode to reduce blur and judder, follow functionality for smoother video when on the go, a pan follow mode for horizontal movement, and a “first person view mode” for “rhythmic and dynamic” movements.

LG Wing: The second screen explained

Credit: C. Scott Brown / Android Authority

The phone can be used in a so-called Basic mode or in the Swivel mode, with the former seeing the 3.9-inch second screen hidden away and operating like a normal phone. Pop out the screen for Swivel mode and LG says certain apps can be used across both screens or two apps can be used at once (one on each screen).

One early pre-release clip showed the main screen being used for GPS navigation while the second screen handled a call and music. A second pre-release video showed a racing game being played on the main screen and the game’s track layout on the smaller screen. LG also gave the example of watching a video on the main screen while texting on the second display, or watching a video on the big display and getting media controls on the small screen.

There’s no word on the number of apps that currently support the LG Wing, but we will hopefully see adoption improve over time. For what it’s worth, the LG Second Screen accessory hasn’t seen much adoption from developers.

LG is also offering a Multi App feature that echoes a similar feature seen on the Galaxy Fold and Surface Duo lines. This will allow you to create a shortcut to quickly launch a desired pair of apps. If you want to watch a local video while browsing the web, you could theoretically create a shortcut to open your video player and browser in one go.

LG has focused on durability too, saying that the hinge mechanism should last for 200,000 swivels. This is equivalent to just over 100 motions daily for five years, LG says. It’s also added a special material to the back of the main screen to protect the second screen from being scratched and to enable smoother pop-outs.

LG Wing specs

LG Wing competition and alternatives

The LG Wing is unlike any other phone we’ve seen yet, so finding alternatives to it might be a tough endeavor.

In saying so, the Microsoft Surface Duo is similarly unique, while also offering two separate screens. The big difference here is that the Surface Duo offers two equally sized screens in a book-like arrangement, as opposed to the Wing’s big screen/little screen setup. Still, you’re also getting the ability to run an app on each screen or one app across both screens. You’re also getting the aforementioned app pair functionality to launch two specific apps at once. The Surface Duo’s $1,400 price tag and anemic spec sheet (no 5G, NFC, wireless charging, or multiple cameras) might be major deal breakers though.

Another potential LG Wing alternative is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, also offering multitasking capabilities and two screens (a smartphone display on the outside and a tablet-sized screen on the inside). Toss in a 120Hz refresh rate for the main screen, nifty Flex Mode functionality, and capable cameras, and you’ve got a great foldable. Unfortunately, this comes at a cost of $2,000.

There's nothing really like the LG Wing, with other foldables and the LG V60 perhaps coming closest.

The LG V60 (seen above) could also be up your alley if you’re looking for a full-featured smartphone with an interesting trick up its sleeve. Like other recent LG flagships, the V60 has a Second Screen accessory that gives you a dual-screen foldable experience. This isn’t quite as polished and pocket-friendly as the Galaxy Z Fold 2, but you still have the ability to run an app on each screen or one across both displays. Best of all, it’s available for around $900 in the US, making it much cheaper than the aforementioned Samsung and Microsoft devices.

Like the idea of the LG Wing’s gimbal camera functionality but don’t care for the second screen? Then the Vivo X50 Pro might be for you, packing a micro-gimbal system on its 48MP main camera. This allows for “incredible” low light images according to our own Dhruv Bhutani, while also offering “exemplary” video quality. It’s packing the same chipset as the Wing, but also delivers two telephoto cameras (2x and 5x), a 90Hz OLED screen, and a slightly bigger battery. The X50 Pro retails for ~$680 in India, but there’s no word on European pricing/availability just yet.

Pricing and availability

The LG Wing hasn’t received a specific US price just yet, although the firm told us it would cost roughly $1,000. The company says the phone will be available in the US via Verizon at first, followed by AT&T and T-Mobile. LG adds that pricing, availability, specs, and color options will vary by network.

LG confirmed Korean pricing on September 22 (h/t: Korea Herald), coming in at 1,098,900 won (~$944).

Top LG Wing questions and answers

Credit: Supplied by LG

Q: Does the LG Wing have a 3.5mm port?

A: Unfortunately, the LG Wing lacks a 3.5mm port. This means it’s quite possibly the first LG flagship without the port. The firm also says that it lacks quad DAC audio hardware as a result.

Q: Does LG’s new phone support wireless charging?

A: Yes, the Wing packs support for wireless charging. In addition to wireless charging, the phone also supports the Quick Charge 4 Plus wired standard.

Q: Does the LG Wing support storage expansion?

A: The phone packs plenty of storage, but it also supports microSD expansion up to 2TB if you really need more space.

Q: How much internal storage is available on the phone?

A: The Wing packs 128GB or 256GB of internal storage.

Q: Does the gimbal feature work with all rear cameras?

A: No, this feature is only available on the 12MP “Ultra Wide Big Pixel” camera.

Q: Is the LG Wing water resistant?

A: The Wing packs an IP54 rating, which means it’s splash-resistant. You don’t want to immerse it in water though, as it lacks the IP67 and IP68 ratings we see on water-resistant devices.

Q: What colorways are available for the LG Wing?

A: The phone is available in Aurora Gray and Illusion Sky.