The LG G2 won the 2014 SmartHouse “Smartphone” of the year award and the all new G3 by the look of it is an early contender for the 2014 award. In Korea the device that went on sale two weeks ago is already outselling the Samsung G5.
The new LG smartphone which will go on sale in Australia in August is outselling the Samsung S5 in Korean with reviewers giving the new device 10/10. According to Korean sources Galaxy S5 sales over the first five days that it went on sale were in the 7,000 to 8,000 range, while the G3 ships 25,000 to 30,000 units each day.
ChannelNews got a first look at the new smartphone today and it is a big improvement over the G2, it will be available in Australia in white, metalic black and gold.
While the cover is plastic the LG G3 feels like metal, and its QHD screen with super-slim bezels is a dramatic improvement over the prior screen and just about all of the smartphones that we have seen this year.
According to Brad Reed, LG Australia’s senior marketing manager of mobile the new smartphone has been snapped up by all three carriers, Telstra Vodafone and Optus as well as JB Hi Fi, Harvey Norman and Dick Smith.
According to Reed, a big attraction is not only the new smartphone but the new LG range of accessories which will include a wireless charger, wearable Lifeband and later this year a smartwatch, he said that currently 17% of all handsets are sold without a SIM and that this number was set to grow in Australia.
LG also has tablets and Ultrabooks that easily interface with the new device.
Reed admits that the G2 fails to get the high profile with carriers and retailers that the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy smartphones get which ids the reason that the Korean Company is investing in extensive training with carrier and retail staff.
This new LG smartphone has some really impressive features no more so than their dramatic improvement of the user interface (UI). Icons are clear and pages slicker, contact details are easy to see and navigate through. Reed swears that there was no influence from the webOS team in the development of the UI despite the fact that the new icons look remarkably like webOS icons.
The large (5.5-inch), high resolution (“Quad HD”) display of the LG G3 is brilliant with Full HD Video’s looking as good as a top end TV.
The device also has a 13 megapixel rear camera with “optical image stabilizer plus” technology.
According to Reed, the camera has laser auto focus which can shoot sharp images in a fraction of the time required by conventional phone cameras.
Other features include:
Smart keyboard: Learns as you type, on-screen position can be changed to fit your hands, and individual keys can be customised with frequently used symbols.
Smart notice: Provides suggestions and recommendations based on user behaviour, phone usage patterns, and location. For example, it can remind you of a call you declined earlier, or alert you to unused apps that are taking up unnecessary space on the device. Also includes natural speech recognition.
Smart security: Knock code lets you unlock the device with a pattern of taps anywhere on the screen; Content lock keeps personal files hidden when someone else is handling your device and also prevents file previews when connected to a PC; Kill switch can disable and wipe the phone remotely in the event of theft and also includes anti-virus.
LG said that it will also be introducing a number of additional accessories for theG3:
QuickCircle Case: Available in five colour, the case works similar to the LG G2’s Quick Window case which covers most of the screen but leaves a window exposed for quick access to certain functions. These include calling, text messaging, music, and the camera
Slim Guard Cases and Slim Hard Cases.
LG Tone Infinim (HBS-900): A Bluetooth stereo headset developed in collaboration with Harman/Kardon. Features retractable wire management technology, jog buttons, and Name Alert to speak the name of a caller before you answer.
Wireless Charger: Qi-compatible compact and foldable wireless charger.
