Back in October LG revealed a time scale of when the update would be hitting the Optimus Black, but the end of November date was obviously missed. Now according to a report on Pocket Now the Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread upgrade has begun rolling out to devices in Europe and India.

It is being reported that the version landing on handsets is listed as V20N, and the alterations refer to enhanced power management, better gaming experience, better download management, support for media formats such as AAC, AVC, H263, and MPEG4. Other improvements include a better UI that will provide faster access and control, while offering a better user experience.

There is now active application management and improvements to shortcuts, icons, calendar options, better email synching, and better control over the cameras auto-focus feature. It will also come with the Google+ application preloaded into the software. If you haven’t yet received the update it can be accessed via the LG software update tool. The device is supposed to receive Android 4.0 sometime during the third quarter of this year.

Has your LG Optimus Black received the Gingerbread update yet?

As Ian Hardy over at mobilesyrup.com recently noted, the handset will run on the Android 2.2 Froyo operating system (although it will be upgraded to 2.3 Gingerbread) and comes with a 4-inch NOVA touch screen, Wi-Fi, a 1500mAh battery, a 5-megapixel rear camera and a 2MP front-facing camera.

What makes the special ‘Skype Edition’ more interesting however is the fact that it comes pre-loaded with a Skype application, where users will be able to download the latest version of Skype Mobile. The LG Optimus Black handset will also include 60 minutes of Skype international calling credit.

What’s more is that future Skype credits will be directly charged to the user’s monthly bill. As we mentioned in a previous article, the LG Optimus Black is powered by a 1GHz processor and includes 2GB of internal storage. You can read more about the ‘Skype Edition’ over at telusmobility.com.

Would you buy the LG Optimus Black ‘Skype Edition?’

Although Orange UK did confirm that it would in fact be selling the LG Optimus Black, the service provider unfortunately didn’t reveal any information on the handset’s availability. However, it is believed that the sleekly designed smartphone will be available for free on select monthly plans.

As mentioned over on the mobiletor.com website, the LG Optimus Black runs on Android 2.2 Froyo OS – although it will be upgradeable to Android 2.3 Gingerbread – and comes with a 4-inch LCD capacitive touch screen, a 1GHz processor, A-GPS support and microUSB v2.0.

The LG Optimus Black handset also comes with a 5-megapixel camera with auto-focus and LED flash for capturing and sharing those precious moments, a music player and video calling. It also features several Java games and applications that will no doubt please the casual gamers among you.

Are you looking to get a new smartphone? If so, does the LG Optimus Black interest you in any way?

According to a recent article by Desire Athow over on the itproportal.com website, T-Mobile UK has now set up a “coming soon” page on their website for the much-awaited Android 2.2 run handset, although we still don’t know any details on pricing at this stage.

The LG Optimus Black has some pretty neat specs including a 4-inch energy-efficient NOVA display with a resolution of 800 x 480, and Wi-Fi direct. With a weight of 109g, the LG Optimus Black handset is being described as one of the lightest touchscreen smartphones out there.

As Nick Marshall at electricpig.co.uk notes, the Optimus Black – which has been put down for a possible March release – also features GPS, HSPA connectivity, a 1GHz processor, a 5-megapixel camera to the rear, HD video recording and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera.

Will you be buying the LG Optimus Black smartphone?

According to an article by Eric M. Zeman over at phonescoop.com, the Optimus Black smartphone uses what LG has called the NOVA display, which measures 4 inches and has a pixel resolution of 800 x 480. Although the NOVA display uses 50% less power, it still remains bright enough to see outdoors.

The Optimus Black currently runs on the Android 2.2 (Froyo) operating system, but will be able to be upgraded to Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) in the future. The LG Optimus Black also features 2GB of internal memory, a 1GHz processor and a 5-mega-pixel camera on the rear.

LG has noted that the handset also features the very first 2-megapixel front-facing camera and Wi-Fi Direct certification. A full list of specs (including a 1500 mAh battery and GPS) can be found via the phonearena.com website. What do you think of the LG Optimus Black smartphone?