LG started off the year with an impressive trio of handsets in the Optimus 2X, Black, and 3D, and is expected to release several more smartphones in the second half of 2011. Besides the true followup to the Optimus One (not Gelato nor Gelato Q, we learn), the company also has a high-end device in the works featuring the second-generation NOVA display with a claimed 1,000 nits of brightness. Plus, there’s a Windows Phone 7 running Mango and taking quite a different styling direction from the launch pair of Optimus 7 and Q, along with a few mid-tier Androids thrown in for good measure.

The renders you’ll see below are based on images that we’re not at liberty to reproduce.

LG Prada K2

This dual-core model looks to be the second-half flagship, highlighted by its brighter 4.3-inch NOVA LCD and 8.8-millimeter thickness. On-board are dual cameras: 1.3-megapixel front and eight-megapixel rear, with 16GB of internal storage. Running Android 2.3 Gingerbread and offering 21Mbps HSPA+ cellular data, K2 is also said to feature a Prada-inspired texture on the casing. A Holiday release is expected.

LG Univa

For all intents and purposes, this is the Optimus Two, improving upon the best-selling original in almost every respect. With an 800MHz processor, 3.5-inch HVGA display, and five-megapixel camera, Univa sounds like a solid upgrade to the 500MHz-powered Optimus One. Said to be 11.9-millimeters thick, Univa runs Gingerbread and brings DLNA support into the low-to-mid-range. Look for this one in the fourth quarter.

LG Fantasy

Not much is yet known about the Windows Phone 7 Mango-powered LG Fantasy, although we can safely extrapolate most of its specs, thanks to WP7′s tight hardware requirements. One thing that’s clear from its appearance: LG seems to be using the same design cues seen on its top-tier Android devices, eschewing the somewhat plasticky look associated with its first-gen Windows Phones. A fourth quarter release is also likely here.

LG Victor

With specs that would have placed it at the high end just a few months ago, Victor should arrive this quarter instead slotted into the mid-range. The Gingerbread-powered slate reportedly packs a 1GHz single-core processor, 3.8-inch OLED display with WVGA resolution, and five-megapixel rear/VGA front-facing cameras. The 802.11b/g/n radio supposedly supports both DLNA and Wi-Fi Direct.

LG Gelato NFC

It’s now clear that the phone previously known as Gelato has been outed as the Optimus Net, model number P690. While that handset will likely be coming to Sprint as the LS685 — possibly as soon as this month — there’s also apparently an NFC-capable model in the pipeline scheduled for a fourth quarter release. It shares the original phone’s 800MHz processor, 3.2-inch HVGA display, and three-megapixel camera, but adds the capabilities to make touchless payments and read tags, among others.

LG E2

Little information is available about the LG E2 save for its entry-level nature; expect a smallish QVGA display, sub-gigahertz processor, and a basic three-megapixel-or-so camera. E2 sounds even more barebones than the Optimus One, suggesting that LG is attempting to push its Android lineup downmarket.

LG K

This promises to be one of the first phones with a true 720p HD display; it’s likely to be the device we currently know as the P930. We’re anticipating a screen around 4.5 inches with a pixel density that matches or exceeds that of the iPhone’s Retina Display.

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Please keep in mind that manufacturer plans are constantly changing, so the specs, appearance, and release windows on any or all of these devices could change at any time. Still, this is probably a pretty good outline of what we can expect from the South Korean OEM for the remainder of the calendar year. Do we have any winners here?