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LG Optimus Slider planned for September

Two carriers have been leaked as having a sliding handset code-named Gelato on the horizon from LG. Might the handset maker be preparing for another blanket release, similar to the Optimus One?

Scott Webster
Scott Webster has spent the better part of his adult life playing with cell phones and gadgets. When not looking for the latest Android news and rumors, he relaxes with his wife and son. Scott also is the senior editor for AndroidGuys. E-mail Scott.
Scott Webster

Sprint and T-Mobile are both expecting to offer a 'Gelato' handset from LG. CrackBerry

A recently uncovered Sprint product listing indicates that an LG Optimus Slider is headed to the carrier later this fall.

Listed under the code name Gelato, there's still very little known about the device, aside from that it has a sliding QWERTY keyboard. The interesting part of this news is that LG might be adopting a strategy similar to the one employed in late 2010 with its Optimus One line.

As you may know, LG released wallet-friendly variations of the same hardware across multiple carriers in the United States. For instance, T-Mobile offers the Optimus T while Sprint offers the Optimus S. In fact, pretty much every major wireless provider has some version of the Optimus One.

Details about the remainder of T-Mobile's 2011 products were uncovered a few weeks ago, including word of an Optimus T successor. Looking back at the original source, This Is My Next mentioned the LG Gelato phone. Based on this, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the other carriers have their own versions of the sliding Optimus handset. Hopefully LG will be able to keep the entry price point for this series similar too.