LG MS25 Vu2 at FCC

The LG phone likely to become the AT&T Vu2 may have appeared at the FCC, according to a new filing. The LG MS25 appears to be very similar to the KS20 touchscreen phone already on sale in Europe but with changes both to accommodate the phone in the US and to upgrade features beyond the original version: the MS25 will add support for the 850 and 1,900MHz radio bands needed to offer full support for calls and EDGE data access in the US. 3G is mentioned in the listing but is not accompanied by a mention of HSDPA, which will be necessary for video calls or Internet streaming. The handset should come with Windows Mobile 6.1 to bring threaded text messaging, copying and pasting text, and other software upgrades.

The phone continues to revolve around a 3-inch, 320x240 touchscreen display, a 2-megapixel camera with built-in flash, and a joystick-like directional pad. Music and video are stored on microSD cards beyond built-in memory and are backed up by an FM radio, LG says.

While no specific carrier has been identified in the US and the phone misleadingly bears a label from the European carrier Vodafone, the similarity to the expected Vu2 suggests a release sometime in early 2008 and that the phone may be hiding features not covered in the FCC testing, including digital broadcast TV and the anticipated 3G. An announcement is possible at or near the Consumer Electronics Show in January. [via Unwired View]

By Electronista Staff