LG Link is like iCloud for Android: data backup, device tracking, and more coming soon?

LG has its own iCloud rival that provides important remote storage, streaming, and management services for people who use LG’s mobile phones.

Smartphone manufacturers are increasingly embracing cloud storage and streaming services to add extra value to their devices. Motorola has had cloud elements in its Blur service, Acer announced an online storage service last month, and of course there’s Apple’s iCloud for iPhone. Now, LG is making its foray into web-delivered content with a service known as LG Link.

LG Link is an app suite that backs up content, provides group communication, adds another security layer to a phone, and can sync files between mobile phones or tablets and desktops. I first noticed Link when I came across a series of demo videos on the official LG Mobile YouTube account. Unable to find any information on this anywhere else online, I requested information from LG and haven’t heard back yet.

I’m not exactly sure when LG will make this announcement official and provide more details. I’m not even sure that this isn’t already something out there in the wild (it’s been a while since I’ve used an LG product). However, I expect this to be a major part of LG’s mobile offering in 2012. Phone manufacturers want mobile users to be tied-in to their services, and some of these features are going to prove very valuable to users. My guess is that LG will deliver more information at the upcoming Mobile World Congress event.

Here are the demo videos as well as a quick summation below each in case they are taken down.

Link Backup is a complete back-up of your phone’s data safely tucked in the cloud should a device become lost or corrupted. The app can backup or restore content ranging from SMS messages, browser bookmarks, call logs, contacts, apps, photos, and SD card content. Link also supports multiple restore states, backup history, and automatic scheduling of backups each day, week, or month.

Link Group is a contact management service that allows users to share with certain groups of people – family, coworkers, friends, etc. It’s sort of a BBM-ish group messaging/texting service, photo sharer, and social network. There are hooks to Facebook/Twitter, and the ability to instant chat to other Link Group users. And most interesting of all, it works on both the phone and desktop.

Link in Cloud Shield is a phone tracking service in case your phone is lost or stolen. LCS can even track a device if a SIM has been replaced. Phone owners will be able to track their missing phone and see a map to pinpoint its location. They can also remotely institute a lock with a message on how the phone can be returned and keep incoming calls from displaying phone numbers. And if a phone is just misplaced, like in your house maybe, you can turn on an alarm to find it. Once recovering the phone seems hopeless, Cloud Shield can remotely wipe all data and factory reset the phone.

Link in Cloud Sync is an automatic or manual sync of a phone’s calendar, call logs, contacts, and photos. That information is stored securely on the Link servers and available for viewing on a desktop. Users can then manage contacts from the desktop, download photos or share them to Link Group, and view their calendar.

Link Talk is another friend manager that interacts with contacts using Link or everyone in your social circle. The app can chat and share images through SMS, email, or the web. It also links with Facebook and Twitter and shows profiles for friends. Everything is pretty much a replication of Link Group, so I’m not sure why LG felt the need to create a whole other app/service.