As the smartphone wars continue to heat up, LG (066570) has fallen way behind. In some ways, that’s a good thing — it has kept LG off Apple’s radar, if nothing else. LG did manage to eke a small profit last quarter, which is more than most smartphone vendors can say these days, and the South Korean company just took the wraps off its latest smartphone. The LG Optimus G is the latest and greatest from the struggling smartphone maker, and it definitely has some appealing specs that could give it a leg up on rival Samsung’s (005930) Galaxy S III — on paper, at least.
The new Optimus G features a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor, a 4.7-inch True HD 1280 x 768-pixel IPS display,a 13-megapixel rear camera, 2GB of RAM and a 2,100 mAh battery… all packed inside a case that is just 8 millimeters thick. It will launch with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and while the phone’s specs could make it one of the most appealing handsets we’ve seen to date, it remains to be seen whether or not LG can get the widespread carrier support enjoyed by chief rival Samsung.
As great as the new Optimus G looks, you’ll likely never even have the opportunity to consider purchasing one. LG plans to launch the phone in Japan and Korea beginning in September, and if the vendor stays true to form, we won’t see it hit the United States for quite some time, if at all.
LG’s full press release follows below.
LG UNVEILS WORLD’S FIRST LTE SMARTPHONE WITH SNAPDRAGON QUAD-CORE
Newest Premium Device from LG Sets High Benchmark for Performance and Usability
SEOUL, August, 28, 2012 -– LG Electronics (LG) revealed its newest premium mobile device with the announcement of the Optimus G, a high-end smartphone that offers powerful performance, an elegant and sleek design, and an innovative user experience. As the first LTE device featuring Qualcomm’s Snapdragon™ S4 Pro Quad-Core processor, Optimus G will set the foundation for every future premium smartphone from LG.
Best-of-Best Technologies
To offer the best smartphone to consumers, LG gathered industry-leading partners and technologies to develop the Optimus G. In collaboration with Qualcomm, LG developed the Optimus G with the goal to be the first LTE smartphone with the Snapdragon™ S4 Pro CPU. LG also joined hands with vertically-integrated sister companies LG Chem, LG Display and LG Innotek for the ultimate battery capacity, viewing and user experience.Next Generation Quad-Core with LTE
The Optimus G will be the first commercial and global smartphone to offer the Snapdragon S4 Pro (APQ8064) processor with a Quad-Core Krait CPU, LTE supported capabilities, and the newest generation Adreno™ 320 GPU. The Snapdragon S4 Pro runs at 1.5GHz and features Asynchronous Symmetric Multiprocessing (aSMP), which enables each core to power up and down independently, for maximum performance with better battery life. Furthermore, the Adreno 320 is over three times faster than the Adreno 225 found in previous Snapdragon processors for an enhanced gaming experience with faster frame rates, smoother play and support for higher HD resolution displays.Cutting-edge Display and Outstanding Battery Efficiency
With help from LG Display, the Optimus G sports a beautiful 4.7-inch WXGA True HD IPS+ Display with 320ppi high pixel density (1280×768 pixels) and Stripe RGB IPS Panel with 15:9 aspect ratio. LG Display pushed the boundaries of its technology to offer True HD IPS+ Display, which is sharper and crisper with color accuracy of sRGB 100 percent to show natural and life-like images.Moreover, the Optimus G will be the first smartphone to be equipped with LG Innotek and LG Display’s newly developed G2 Touch Hybrid Display for touchscreen panels (TSP). The G2 Touch Hybrid Display is thinner than current TSPs and offers the slimmest panel display with no diffused reflection for clearer and sharper visibility, even outdoors. Thanks to the new technology, the thickness of the screen panel has been reduced and the screen itself is much stronger to withstand damage from impact.
Lastly, LG Chem developed a high-density 2,100mAh battery that provides more power capacity and prolonged charging cycles. The new battery technology extended the battery lifespan to 800 cycles at 80 percent charging capabilities, much greater than the lifespan of 500 cycles in regular phone batteries.
Enhanced UX for Productivity and Entertainment
Whether users need functionality or fun in their daily lives, the Optimus G has it all, including a high-resolution 13.0MP camera and unique and differentiated user experience (UX) features, such as:· Live Zooming allows zooming in and out while viewing a video;
· Dual Screen Dual Play, not only allows mirroring between the smartphone and a TV, it also has the ability to
display different content on each screen. For example, a slide presentation can be displayed on the TV
while the Optimus G shows the accompanying speaking notes;
· QMemoTM, first seen in the Optimus Vu:, allows users to write, draw, or jot a memo directly on the captured
screen with their finger for sharing instantly with others as an attachment or a URL;
· Time Catch Shot allows users to select and save the best shot among the images taken just before the
shutter button is depressed;
· Cheese Shutter takes a photo when a voice command is spoken.The added UX features are anticipated to provide instant and intuitive productivity to complete tasks beyond simple multitasking.
Innovative and Modern Look
LG maintained its differentiated design philosophy with the Optimus G. The Optimus G is encased in an eye-catching slim body epitomizing timeless beauty that perfectly demonstrates LG’s design philosophy. Premium glass is utilizied on the back cover with a polarized glass pattern that offers a clean, modern look. The G2 Touch Hybrid Display contributed significantly to the design of the Optimus G as it reduced the thickness of the device enabling Optimus G to fit more comfortably in the hand. And the jet black front display flows smoothly into the body for a seamless look with no gaps.“We are confident that users will have a superior experience with everything that we’re offering in the Optimus G,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “Optimus G isn’t just another high-performance phone with the latest bells and whistles. It’s a collaboration of some of the best component makers on the planet coming together for a singular cause, to develop a smartphone that stands out in a sea of me-too devices.”
NTT DOCOMO will be the first to unveil a Japanese edition of the Optimus G. The global version of the device will be launched in Korea in September, followed by other markets worldwide.
Key Specifications:
· Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro Processor with 1.5GHz Quad-Core CPU, Adreno 320 GPU with 4G LTE
· Operating System: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
· Network: 2G / 3G / 4G LTE
· Display: 4.7-inch WXGA True HD IPS+ (1280×768 pixels) / 15:9 ratio
· Memory: 32GB
· RAM: 2GB DDR
· Cameras: 13.0MP rear / 1.3MP front
· Battery: 2,100 mAh
· Size: 131.9 x 68.9 x 8.45mm
· Weight: 145g
· Other: Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, USB2.0 HS, A-GPS, MHL, DLNA, NFC
