January 29, 2007 3:58 AM PST
Not all phones are created equal. While it's well-known that American consumers don't have access to the same array of phones that Asians and Europeans do, sometimes even the same model of phone can be slightly altered for an entirely different look.
LG's European phones "are very, very superior to their American offerings," said Altitude's Mittersinker. He points out that the European version, at left, is designed as more of a "monolithic block" with all backlit buttons. Even that subtle difference conveys that competition among handset makers in Europe comes down to the designs. This is because customers are not locked into carrier contracts and so have their pick of almost any phone, he said.
Photo by LG Electronics
