LG enV Touch 2 to be Android powered smartphone?

This article contains unofficial information.

The LG enV Touch is a popular Verizon featurephone that is about to become a smartphone for its sequel. The enV Touch 2 will be powered by Android when the new iteration of the phone is launched, most likely later this year. With dual screens-including a touchscreen display on the outside-and a QWERTY keyboard inside, the handset was originally called the Voyager when first launched in 2007, and was Verizon's challenge to the iPhone at the time. When headset manufacturer Plantronics refused to allow Big Red to continue using the Voyager name for a sequel last year, the enV Touch was born.

While protoypes of the phone have been currently running Android 2.1, there is a chance that the model could be sporting Android 2.2 by launch. We would expect the enV Touch 2 to be ready for the all important holiday shopping season, priced as a mid-range smartphone. T-Mobile attempted the same mad scientist act earlier this year, turning the Samsung Behold from a feature phone to an Android device called the Behold II. In terms of sales, that operation was a failure.

LG enV Touch Specifications | Review
Samsung Behold II Specifications | Review

source: Engadget

14 Comments

Options

Close Follow ›

posted on 20 Oct 2010, 01:48

1. numberonenygfan (Posts: 211; Member since: 19 Oct 2009)

great if this is anything like the ally, its going to be another one of lg's wonderful "i turn off when i want to " phones.. lg should stop making phones period and stick to washers and dryers..

posted on 20 Aug 2010, 16:21

2. Joshing4fun (Posts: 1237; Member since: 13 Aug 2010)

This is a horrible idea. The whole point of getting an Env Touch is to get a touch screen phone and not have a pricey data plan. But with the data plan this just becomes another mediocre smart phone.

posted on 20 Aug 2010, 16:53

3. Patb8man (unregistered)

Actually the LG env tough is a 3g multimedia phone which does require a minimum $9.99 data plan. I work for Flextronics which does the technical services for VZW...and I can agree that all Lgs do shutdown and I would say that they have a 25 percent defect rate if not higher. It is really unacceptable how much the phones malfunction. I mean the Envtouch has had 9 sw revisions to correct issues and the latest version still is not great.

posted on 20 Aug 2010, 17:23

4. VZ guy (unregistered)

The only phones that don't really shut off are the non-data feature phones. Like the LG Accolade or the LG Cosmos.

posted on 20 Aug 2010, 19:34

5. Beck (unregistered)

Another entry levely android? Come on! With an extra $30 a month for data, you should invest in the best phone you can get. Why is LG investing in this instead of an improved env series or the Clout?

posted on 20 Aug 2010, 19:36

6. CHEFJEFF (Posts: 147; Member since: 22 Sep 2009)

The Envy Touch was a good idea, but a horrible phone! I've had several LG phones, they all sucked! Just like this new version will. Why does LG even bother when they have the Ally?

posted on 20 Aug 2010, 20:51

7. tuminatr (Posts: 855; Member since: 23 Feb 2009)

THEY MAKE ONE NOW ITS CALL THE ALLY, AND IT TOO IS A PFJ

posted on 20 Aug 2010, 22:23

8. oddman0ut (unregistered)

A clamshell android phone? Unless they change the form factor from clamshell to slider i cant see it working. I guess it would be okay but the android OS is supposed to be revolved around the touch screen. The env series have non touch screen internal screens... if this holds true for the env 3 it will be a waist of space. Even if they made both the external and internal screens touch screens, it still would be a waist of space and hardware... I'm a little curious to how this will come out seeing that if they make it a slider it will be exactly like the ally and if they stick to its original design, it will be unnecessary hardware. It works for feature phones because the touch screen gives a simplified finger friendly menu system and then when opened you get more complex menus but seeing that android is a complex operating system, i cant imagine how they will alter it to differentiate the two screens without making it "too much"

posted on 21 Aug 2010, 09:24

9. Sniggly (Posts: 7305; Member since: 05 Dec 2009)

Stupid, stupid idea. I'll just keep selling the Eris until those sell out. Was never too impressed with the Ally, and none of my customers are either. The Ally is pretty much a sliding EnV touch anyway; only good thing about it is the really big QWERTY on the slider. And the EnV Touch? Popular? Not here anymore, when I can sell an Android phone that does a lot more for cheaper, or a Reality which simply is cheaper-and has a better reliability history.

posted on 21 Aug 2010, 12:34

10. PHONE_GEEK (Posts: 52; Member since: 01 Feb 2010)

THE LG ALLY! Where did they find that a folder marked "DUH" (Molly Wood, CNET TV)

posted on 21 Aug 2010, 14:54

11. cowsrockalot (Posts: 34; Member since: 02 Nov 2009)

This is the worse idea LG has had in a while. In case they haven't got the memo, NOT EVERYONE WANTS A SMART PHONE! The all ready have plenty of entry level smart phones. The Env touch was a good phone (if you didn't get a defective one) they should work on making a better interface themselves instead of flocking to android!

posted on 21 Aug 2010, 18:18

12. joey18 (Posts: 593; Member since: 20 Jul 2010)

my friends get the droid x order today next week in your dooors

posted on 21 Aug 2010, 20:47

13. fishpower187 (Posts: 88; Member since: 22 Feb 2010)

Wasn't the Ally more or less an EnV Touch with Android on board? I mean, with the exception of the flip versus the slider, the are essentially the same device, right down to the color scheme. I would like to see LG come out with an update to the EnV Touch that is just a good feature phone, not this 3G multimedia/smartphone crap. I swear, Verizon is making it harder and harder for us to seel stuff. Anything wirh a shit is a smartphone, requiring the customer to cough up another $30/month. This, and they wonder why we're not selling shit like gangbusters.

posted on 22 Aug 2010, 13:25

14. CRICKETownz (Posts: 980; Member since: 24 Oct 2009)

Yea, i would say the Ally already embodies what LG wants to call the next iteration of enV. It could possibly work but LG has to do something different with their touchscreen technology. There's def. a difference in the way my touchscreen responds on my X and how it responds on my Ally. Seems like that aspect of LG's touchscreens never get better. So you will have a phone running the latest Android OS and the latest hardware specs with the touch response of the original LG Voyager. I think LG should leave the enV line as a multimedia phone and find out what's the reason why the devices shut down so much. I've carried the original enV (green), voyager, and the dare. None of these devices shut down on me but the enV touch def. has some power cycle issues. The Ally is good for someone who doesn't want a full touchscreen b/c the keyboard is great. Think LG should just focus on something totally new. They did with the Fathom which is a pretty decent Windows phone and actually has a lot better build quality than what previous LG models have had.