LG has saved the best for itself with its slimline Android smartphone that has a brighter screen than those it manufactures for Apple.The company is releasing the Optimus Black in Australia, with a first-ever ‘NOVA’ display on a mobile that boasts being one of the brightest LCD displays available.

While LG manufactures similar IPS-LCD displays for Apple’s iPhone 4, the four inch screens on the Optimus Black have increased brightness over 480×800 pixels for brightness around double that of the average smartphone.

The sleek design measures up to 122 x 64 x 9.2mm and weighs a tiny 109 grams. It also features a front-facing 2MP camera.

The initial release will feature Android 2.2 software, but an upgrade to 2.3 is promised by LG for the future (but the ‘when’ hasn’t been specified yet). The user interface is customised to be specific to the Optimus Black.

The LG Optimus Black is available initially through Optus and Vodafone this month on plans, with Telstra jumping in on the offering in early July.

The plans start at $19 caps depending on the network (with the lower-priced caps charging a per month fee for the phone), with Optus offering the phone free on a $49 cap and above.