Jul 15, 2011 19:51 GMT  ·  By

Today, South Korean mobile phone maker LG Electronics announced the release of two new handsets in its popular LG Optimus Series, namely the LG Optimus Pro (LG-C660) and the LG Optimus Net (LG-P690).

Both smartphones come to the market with Google's Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system on board, with increased multimedia support, better power management, and improved gaming support.

Both handsets have been spotted into the wild before, with the LG Optimus Pro being even reported as already available for purchase in Italy, but it was only today that LG made the two phones official.

“Today’s customers want genuine choice, phones with a different mix of features and technology for different segments of the market,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company.

“And that’s precisely what we’ve done with Optimus Pro and Optimus Net, two completely new devices which enhance LG’s reputation as the company with an Android smartphone suitable for everyone.”

The new LG Optimus Pro comes to the market with a portrait bar QWERTY keyboard, and is the first smartphone in the Optimus series to sport this feature.

Packing both a physical keyboard and a 2.8-inch touchscreen display, the mobile phone can deliver fast navigation capabilities, with dedicated hotkeys for email and scheduler. The handset arrives in white, titan, and black flavors.

As for LG Optimus Net, it comes to the market with LG Social+, offering fast access to popular social networking portals through a single widget straight on the homescreen.

It sports a 3.2 HVGA (320 x 480) display and enables users to go to Facebook or Twitter with a single click, while also offering the SmartShare function for sharing content with DLNA-friendly devices.

“Specifications for the Optimus Net will vary market by market. Depending on the carrier, some of the phones in Europe will be Near Field Communication (NFC) capable for mobile payments,” LG explains.

“The North American version will include a QWERTY keyboard and in Brazil, China, Asia and the CIS region, the Optimus Net will be dual SIM compatible. The phone will be available in white, as well as black.”

Optimus Pro and Optimus Net come with 1500mAh batteries inside, and with 800 MHz application processors. They should arrive on shelves later this summer, in 30 markets beginning in Europe.