LG hints at ultra-slim Optimus 3D 2 for 2012

LG has hinted at plans for a follow-up to their glasses-free 3D smartphone, the LG Optimus 3D. The main improvement on this new 3D-capable phone, besides upgraded specs to keep in line with competitors next year is a much slimmer chassis. The company hopes to have this new "LG Optimus 3D 2" ready for sometime in 2012.

In an interview with Pocket-lint, one of the developers of the LG Optimus 3D, Dr. Henry Noh, explains that the LG Optimus 3D in its current form isn't the "slimmest and sexiest phone on the street." The goal then is to make the next iteration much slimmer and almost as thin as the thinnest phones set to launch next year so that 3D technology won't be associated with bulkiness.

Noh also says that all the phones next year will look pretty much the same. The standard 4.3-inch display this year will get larger next year as profiles get slimmer. But everyone phone will sport about the same size screen, same thinness, same camera, and same OS. "It's so boring."

Hence, Noh views 3D as a major feature that will differentiate the Optimus 3D 2 as long as it can be packaged in a similarly slim chassis as non-3D competitors.

"Next year, all the phones are going to be as thin as, let's say, 6mm. You throw in 3D, and because of the thickness and stuff, it becomes 7mm. But I bet you 90 per cent of the population won't know the difference," said Noh. "Eventually, we want to make it so that having the 3D won't necessarily mean that it's going to be thicker. That's going to be a differentiating factor that comes for free to the user."

Make sure to check out our full reviews for the LG Optimus 3D, which is also known as the LG Thrill 4G on AT&T.