LG has finally realised that people want more than a good-looking mobile phone – they want wizz-bang picture-taking capabilities with the ability to send, save, edit and shoot both stills and videos in addition to sleek design.

The Korean company’s new Viewty KU990 delivers on this promise. Released officially today in Sydney, the new handset is black like the brand’s Chocolate phone but, unlike its predecessor, includes more features for the multimedia-savvy consumer.

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At RRP $899, the Viewty is LG’s second touchscreen mobile, after the Prada, and offers an impressive 5 megapixel camera that can take better stills than most phones while shooting videos at 120fps – a nice touch for adding slow-motion footage to home videos.

“The Australian mobile phone market is becoming increasingly competitive,” said LG Electronics Australia marketing manager, mobile communications, Carli Wilson.

“So our business approach has had to improve significantly, with a $2 million investment in marketing.”

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Wilson acknowledged that LG’s niche so far in the handset mobile has been one based on design, however the company is now ramping up its offering with the Viewty which will see LG take on a new direction in the marketplace.

“Now its time for us to speak to a broader audience,” said Wilson.

The new Viewty’s advertising slogan is: “It’s more pleasurable to view images than take them,” and the phone offers easy access to file-sharing website YouTube and built-in software allowing simple uploads to image websites.

LG has partnered with DivX, allowing viewers to watch DivX clips on the handset’s 3-inch screen.

The unit was available on the market from two weeks ago and, while only provided by carrier Hitchison right now, both Optus and Vodafone will offer the Viewty next year. Telstra, of course, will miss out due to its non-compatible Next G network.

The launch of the mobile coincides with the revelation of a new LG Mobile website, at www.whatisviewty.com.au, which will feature independent consumer and media reviews of the Viewty, which will be ‘unedited’, according to the company.

“We’re being very open about the pros and cons of the mobile – we want consumers to get all the information they need to make an informed purchase decision,” said Wilson.

Advertising from next year will feature on buses, billboards, online, TV and in print, while the LG team will host in-store activities at major reseller outlets.

Other features of the Viewty include built-in image stabiliser, built-in image editing software, ISO 800 and SmartLight technology for taking pictures in bright and dark environments, TV-out, document viewer and FM radio.