The time of LG Chocolate has come and gone and it’s the turn of a more sophisticated fashion phone: iPhone! Verizon probably didn’t read the memo and bravely launched the third-generation LG Chocolate. To be fair, Chocolate 3 is specially earmarked for U.S. customers being a clamshell phone. Another good thing is the adaptation of a 3.5mm jack instead of 2.5mm, which has been irritating LG Chocolate fans when LG Chocolate was still the “It” phone. Oooh, so long ago, it seems. For the Chocolate 3, LG incorporates two important design innovations with success: the click wheel is just as smooth and fun to work wit and the shiny mirror-like finishof the outside face reminds us of the LG Shine.

Chocolate 3 is serviced by Rhapsody and paired by an FM transmitter, which is always a good feature to have on a music phone, especially when you are driving. It’s a phone that is also equipped with A-GPS and supported by Verizon’s VZ Navigator v.4.1. High-speed connectivity via EV-DO Rev. 0 is all you get as the phone does not have WiFi. All in all, it’s packed with features for a tiny and fashionable clamshell phone. Price is $129 after rebate.Available July 13th.

[laptop via engadget]