LG G3 officially announced, on sale in South Korea tomorrow

LG's flagship smartphone has been finally unveiled, featuring a 5.5" display and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 CPU.

Omar Qudsi, Published 05/27/2014

At events in 6 cities worldwide, LG today took the wraps off their least-kept secret, the G3 smartphone. Following a month filled with rumors and leaks, the company managed to keep a straight face in introducing their flagship device and its new features.

Just like the numerous reports informed us, the G3 will indeed feature a 5.5" quad-HD display with a resolution of 2560x1440 and a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 CPU running at up to 2.5GHz. Available in five colors, the G3 has a metallic finish and a curved design with a weight of less than 150 grams. The smartphone will come standard with 16GB of storage and 2GB of RAM, but a 32GB/3GB model will be available at a premium.

The smartphone also comes with a 13MP camera and a laser autofocus, which LG is touting as the first of its kind, using a laser beam to accurately measure the distance from the camera sensor to the target and adjust focus accordingly. The smartphone's trademark "Rear Key" is also back once again, featuring redesigned volume and battery controls that can be manipulated with a finger swipe over the rear sensor.

LG's event also brought with it a bevy of new software improvements, including a keyboard that supposedly reduces errors by 75% and a kill switch that allows remote wiping of the device. The G3 also comes with a Smart Notice personal assistant, reminding users to return phone calls and uninstall seldom used applications.

Release date and availability are unfortunately still murky, as the device will retail tomorrow in South Korea before eventually making its way to over 170 countries. There was no mention of pricing scheme or US carriers either, though we expect that information to be available very soon.

Source(s)

LG: http://www.lgnewsroom.com/newsroom/contents/64513

+ Show Press Release

Press Release

LONDON, May 27, 2014 — LG Electronics (LG) today introduced to the world its eagerly anticipated G3 smartphone, the successor to the company’s well-received LG G2. With launch events taking place in six cities worldwide — London, New York, San Francisco, Seoul, Singapore and Istanbul — LG G3 aims to redefine the definition of a global smartphone for global customers.

Developed under the Simple is the New Smart concept, LG G3 is a culmination of consumer research based on LG’s product development philosophy, Learning from You. The LG G3 was empowered with the best of what current technology has to offer, providing consumers with a user experience more ambitious than anything offered before by LG.

“The smartest innovation in a fast evolving smartphone market is creating harmony between advanced technology and a simplified user experience,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of the LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “LG G3 is the result of our effort to actualize that idea into a tangible product. And we are extremely pleased with the result.”

Highlights of the new G3 include:

- 5.5-inch Quad HD display with 538ppi with four times the resolution of HD and almost two times higher resolution than a Full HD display
- 13MP OIS+ (Optical Image Stabilizer Plus) camera with a revolutionary Laser Auto Focus that can shoot stunningly sharp images in a fraction of the time required by conventional phone cameras
- Polished metallic skin on the rear cover that is lightweight, fingerprint-proof and most of all, beautiful
- Floating Arc form factor that feels incredibly comfortable in one hand and incorporates the innovative design heritage of the Rear Key
- Redesigned graphic user interface(GUI) consistent with the Simple is the New Smart concept of the G3

True-to-Life Viewing Experience

LG’s reputation in the display arena is second to none and the development of the G3’s breathtaking Quad HD display was the result of years of innovation in display technology. With a pixel density of 538ppi, the G3’s Quad HD display sets new viewing standard producing images that are sharper and clearer than traditional smartphone displays. At 5.5-inches, LG G3 boasts a screen ratio of 76.4 percent with thin bezels all around so the phone feels as comfortable in the hand as a smaller traditional smartphone.

The high resolution display on the G3 also required LG engineers to pair it with battery technology that was just as innovative. LG equipped the G3 with a 3,000mAh removable battery and advanced optimization technologies to further maximize battery efficiency. By replacing the metal in the battery cathode with graphite, LG engineers were able to extend the lifespan of the G3’s battery. The result is a battery that can keep up with the Quad HD display’s ultra-high performance without losing steam in the middle of the day.

Simply Captivating

The G3’s advanced 13MP OIS+ camera is designed to quickly and easily capture life’s special moments as they occur, not necessarily when you want them to occur. This is made possible with G3’s innovative Laser Auto Focus, the first of its kind in the smartphone industry. This technology enables the G3 to capture the best moment — even in low light — by measuring the distance between the subject and the camera using a laser beam. So no more fuzzy pictures of your son scoring his first football goal and or missed shots because your camera couldn’t decide quickly enough which toddler in the playground to focus on. Combined with the proven and popular OIS+ technology first seen in the G Pro 2, the G3 is sure to impress even the most discerning shutterbugs.

LG also simplified the process of actually capturing those special moments. Rather than having to focus on the subject in preview mode and then pressing the shutter button, with the G3, tapping the subject to focus will simultaneously also trigger the shutter. What’s more, the G3’s 2.1MP front camera incorporates several new enhancements such as a larger image sensor and larger aperture for more light throughput and better-looking selfies. A unique twist has been added to the standard timed selfie mode by incorporating gesture controls — when ready to shoot, simply clench your hand into a fist and the G3 will recognize the gesture and begin the automatic three-second countdown. It couldn’t get any simpler than that.

For video, the G3 offers superior sound quality with instinctive microphones that measure the environment to identify the optimal audio level for the clearest recording. And with the built-in 1W speaker with Boost AMP, users can enjoy videos and music accompanied by richer sounds and clearer tones.

Balanced andSimplified Design Language

The Floating Arc design of the G3 with its ergonomic arch and slim side profile provides an extremely comfortable grip for everyday one-handed use. The Rear Key continues to anchor LG’s innovative design language, with a newly designed power key and volume buttons as well as more premium quality materials and finish. LG also refined sophisticated technical features and advancements located on the rear by arranging them in a clean and singular layout consistent with the G3’s well-balanced design language. The stylish metallic skin with matte finish which keeps the G3 looking clean and fingerprint-free will be offered in five vibrant colors: Metallic Black, Silk White, Shine Gold, Moon Violet and Burgundy Red.

To complement the new external design, LG adopted a minimalistic user interface design with flat graphics. The circular motif of the graphic assets in the new UI was derived from the shape and concept of LG’s logo, reflecting its unique visual style and identity.

Simplified UX to Reflect Simple Pleasures

In addition to the advanced core technologies, LG took its Learning from You approach to a higher level with new UX features to offer G3 users a unique experience unlike any previous LG smartphone. Highlights include:

- Smart Keyboard: Adaptive technology learns as you type for faster input with less mistakes. Smart Keyboard reduces input errors by up to 75 percent by tracking and analyzing typing habits and intuitively “knowing” what word the user intended to type. The height of the keyboard can also be adjusted to better fit the user’s hands and position of the thumbs. Individual keys can also be customized with frequently used symbols for even faster input.
- Smart Notice: Like a personal assistant, Smart Notice provides suggestions and recommendations based on user behavior, phone usage patterns and location to offer user information when it’s needed the most. Smart Notice can remind you of a call you declined earlier and ask if you would like to call that person back. If you have a large number of un used files or apps on the G3 taking up valuable space, Smart Notice will ask if you would like to delete or uninstall them. But what sets Smart Notice apart from other personal assistants is its natural language capabilities. For example, instead of just displaying today’s temperature and weather forecast, Smart Notice will make a recommendation such as, “You may want to take an umbrella today since it will rain this evening.”
- Smart Security: Understanding the importance of maintaining and securing confidential data when smartphones are shared, misplaced, lost or stolen, the LG G3 offers a number of enhanced security features such as:

Knock Code^TMenables users to unlock their device with a pattern of taps. Merging security and convenience, users can create a personalized code that can be entered anywhere on the screen. With the G3, users have the option of being able to use KnockON to wake the screen to check the time as well as enter the home screen directly via Knock Code^TM.

Content Lock keeps personal files safe and hidden from view when sharing the G3 with friends. When the G3 is connected to a PC, Content Lock prevents file previews so the data is still safe. The locked files can reside either on the G3’s internal memory or on the microSD card.

Kill Switch gives G3 owners the ability to disable their phones remotely in the event of theft. The Kill Switch also allows content on the G3 to be wiped so personal information won’t be compromised. Kill Switch also includes antivirus scanning and remote wipe and lock, among other essential features.

LG will also be offering a collection of new premium accessories to accompany the LG G3:

- QuickCircle^TMCase: Available in five colors, QuickCircle^TMCase allows easy access to frequently used functions such as calling, text messaging, music and camera all from the QuickCircle window without opening the cover. In addition to the QuickCircle^TMCase, LG will offer a lineup of Slim Guard Cases and premium Slim Hard Cases to protect the G3 in handsome style.
- LG Tone Infinim^TM (HBS-900): Developed in collaboration with Harman/Kardon, the Bluetooth stereo headset delivers premium audio quality sound in a stylish design. Built with retractable wire management technology and jog buttons for effortless search, Tone Infinim also features Name Alert^TM to verbally notify you who is calling before you answer.
- Wireless Charger: Compact and foldable, LG’s Wireless Charger is optimized for easy portability. Compatible with Qi’s wireless power charging technology, the Wireless Charger from LG makes staying powered up as convenient as possible.

Starting on May 28 in South Korea, LG G3 will begin rolling out worldwide on over 170 carriers. Additional details will be announced locally at the time of availability.

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