Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZW) said it will sell the LG Revolution Android 2.2 “Froyo” 4G LTE (Long-Term Evolution) smartphone May 26 for $249.99 with a two-year data deal.
A multimedia-oriented handset with a 4.3-inch touch screen, the Revolution will be the first Android smartphone preloaded with the Netflix Android application.
Netflix customers will be able to access their movies and television shows from the device, which uses a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.
Netflix earlier this month made its Android application available for the HTC Incredible with Android 2.2, HTC Nexus One with Android 2.2 and 2.3, the HTC Evo 4G with Android 2.2, the HTC G2 with Android 2.2 and the Samsung Nexus S with Android 2.3.
The LG Revolution would be the first phone to offer the app natively. For those who weren’t clear where the value of a 4G LTE network lies, the Netflix app on the Revolution is a good hint.
Verizon, who claims its 4G LTE network is as much as 10 times faster than its 3G network, promises that Revolution buyers who live in its 4G LTE markets can expect download speeds of 5M to 12M bps and upload speeds of 2M to 5M bps.
The Revolution, which sports a 16GB microSD card, would join the HTC ThunderBolt and Samsung Droid Charge as the third Verizon phone to launch with 4G LTE support.
While Verizon Droid phones launch with Google as the main search engine, most non-Droid phones do not. The LG Revolution will launch with Microsoft Bing Search and Maps as the default search and map apps.
The Revolution also includes a 5-megapixel camera with auto-focus and LED Flash, and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat.
Users may capture and share HD images and HD videos in 720p recording and playback. An image editor lets users crop, rotate, resize, apply filters, make image adjustments, draw, write, erase and add stamps.
There is also built-in HDMI output and SmartShare technology to let users share video content on TV screens with HDMI cables. In addition, the device supports Adobe Flash Player for rendering Web-based multimedia content.
Verizon is also offering its Mobile Hotspot capability, which will let customers share 4G LTE with up to eight WiFi-enabled devices or a 3G connection with up to five devices, free for a limited time. The hotspot typically costs $20 per month for 1GB of data consumption.
The LG Revolution will be available from Verizon’s Website and the carrier’s retail stores. Buyers will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan, which costs $39.99 a month, and an unlimited data package for $29.99 per month.