LG’s Optimus G smartphone is primed and ready for a Korean release next week, and other global markets before the end of 2012, but Aussies won’t get to see how an Optimus G might make life good until “early 2013”.
Parallel importers are sure to bring the Optimus G to Australia on an unofficial basis before the official launch, presumably whether the handset achieves Samsung Galaxy SIII or iPhone 5 levels of popularity or not, but all of that is yet to be seen.
Promising a “unique User Experience” and “innovative hardware”, LG claims its smartphone will let users “live without boundaries”, but until the phone is evaluated on a hands-on basis by tech reviewers, no-one yet knows whether the marketing will match the actual experience.
That said, the head of LG’s Mobile Comms division, Ben Glimmerveen, says in a statement that “The Optimus G is a premium, groundbreaking device; not only in the history of LG, but also in the smartphone industry. With the Optimus G, users will be able to benefit from a feature packed device that will keep them at the forefront of design and technology innovation.”
|
|
Seven examples of this “cross-tasking” capabilities are explained by LG thus:
“QSlide Function - shows two different screens simultaneously on one display. As it doesn’t show a part of the screen but the entire screen of both functions, the user can complete two tasks concurrently – such as sending a text message or searching the web while watching a video.
“Live Zooming - enhances the video-watching experience as users can zoom in up to five times while the video is being streamed, such as during a close-up of your favourite band while watching a recorded video from a recent concert.
“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 wirelessly. For example, a slide presentation can be displayed on the TV while the Optimus G shows the accompanying speaking notes.
“QuickMemo - allows users to write, draw, or jot a memo with their finger directly on the captured screen for sharing instantly with others as an attachment or a URL. The QuickMemo function can also be used as an overlay feature - like jotting down a number using the QuickMemo and directly dialing the number while the number is on the top layer.
“Screen Zooming - allows for the zooming in and out of lists in music player, email, text messages and photo gallery. It also offers the ability to change the font size and screen layout.
“Application Link - launches preset applications (email, calendar, weather, etc) when the alarm is turned off - making your preparation time in the morning a little faster as all the information is already prepared on your screen.
“Icon Personaliser - allows users the ability to customise icons by editing size and adding images so the most frequently used apps can be easily accessible."
The Optimus G also has a range of “innovative camera features”, with the Korean version offering a 13 megapixel camera and the global edition featuring an 8 megapixel camera including “time catch shot” to choose the best photos taken “before the shutter is pressed”, a “cheese shutter” that lets you take photos with your voice by saying “cheese”, “LG” or voicelessly by “smiling”, a “smart shutter” that detects camera vibration or subject movement to “adjust the shutter speed for the best shot” and “low light shot noise reduction” for better low light photos.
LG also talks up what is says is a “design masterpiece” that is embodied in a “black unibody form”, a glass back with a “crystal reflection process” which can “display different patterns depending on the viewing angle and lighting” along with an “intricate polarised pattern, which sparkles under the surface”, creating “an eye-catching three-dimensional illusion” along with “laser cutting” which “gives the Optimus G a clean finish with metallic highlights”.
A Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor is within, the display offers “True HD IPSPlus” and “Zerogap Touch” to deliver a slimmer phone profile, and a “longer life” battery with 800 charging cycles which LG says is “a significant improvement over existing mobile phone batteries.
No prices are listed as yet, with the release timeframes already discussed above.
LG says the Optimus G’s key specifications are as follows:
- Chipset: 1.5GHz Krait CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor Quad-Core and LTE
- Operating System: Android Jellybean (2012 launch software is ICS)
- Network: 2G / 3G / LTE
- Display: 4.7-inch WXGA True HD IPSPlus (1280 x 768 pixels) / 15:9 ratio
- Memory: 32GB
- RAM: 2GB DDR
- Camera: 8.0MP rear / 1.3MP front
- Battery: 2,100mAh (570Wh/L) / Talk time: 15 hours / Standby: 335 hours
- Size: 131.9 x 68.9 x 8.45mm
- Weight: 145g
- Other: Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, USB2.0 HS, A-GPS, MHL and DLNA, NFC
The specs clearly indicate LG’s Optimus G has the goods – on paper at least – to more than match the Samsung Galaxy SIII, Nokia Lumia 920, Apple’s iPhone 5 and other high-end smartphones.
We just have to wait for availability to see how popular the Optimus G is with consumers and whether it can generate the sales and market share LG surely desires, but based on the press release (which is all we have right now), LG is clearly positioning itself to make this outcome happen, although it’s a shame that interested Aussies will have to wait until next year to get their own official hands-on in retail telco stores around the country.
