LG
Prada Phone 3.0

The Prada Phone 3.0 (model number: P940) was the third iteration of the Prada-branded line of mobile phones from Korean phone maker LG. The company described this model as “a seamless fusion of style and technology offering a sophisticated smartphone designed to deliver an exceptional user experience.” The phone had what the company described as “a signature Saffiano leather exterior” which was in reality a rather disappointing plastic battery cover with an embossed final. It was pre-loaded with a suite of exclusive Prada applications, including a Prada-branded wallpaper and ringtone package, a Prada fashion news widget, and a Prada store locator which were designed to “enhance the user experience and provide a unique touch of Prada luxury.” Powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread, the software was already a little old by the time the phone launched given that several Android 4.0 smartphones were already on sale when it launched. The device had a 4.3-inch IPS LCD “Nova" display which was the largest to ever feature on a Prada Phone, however despite being a colour screen, the user interface was a custom black and white design. There were also bright, LED-lit touch-sensitive buttons below the screen which appeared momentarily when a user pressed the touchscreen. An eight-megapixel camera and front-facing camera for video calling and selfies was also included. At the launch, Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications stated that he believed the phone would “appeal to discerning consumers who appreciate the finer things in life.” At launch, the phone cost £430 (approx. US$660 at the time) which surprisingly, given the premium Prada branding, was approximately £100 cheaper than the iPhone 4S 16GB. The device in the Mobile Phone Museum collection is a prototype unit that was used for testing.