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LG G2 officially announced: 5.2-inch 1080p display, Snapdragon 800, new rear design
After months of leaks and rumors, it's finally time for us to take a look at the real LG G2. The successor to last year's Optimus G was just officially announced and, as you have come to expect from the usual flagships, it's loaded with plenty of specs and clever features, not to mention some interesting new smartphone design approaches. The new device, which runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, comes with a larger display than its predecessor, packing a 5.2-inch 1080p IPS panel. It also offers a 2.26GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 SoC. Additionally, you can expect to find a 13-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization (as well as a 2.1MP front-facing cam), 24 bit/192kHz HiFi playback, a non-removable 3,000mAh battery, 2GB of RAM and your choice of 16GB or 32GB internal storage. It'll come in white and black, and LG tells us that the G2 will be rolling out to markets around the world over the next eight weeks, and we have confirmation that all four major US carriers have committed to adding the device to their lineup. What about those unique design traits? As you may have already seen in the leaked images (or if you happened to look at the press image above), the backside of the phone is much busier than on most other handsets. LG opted to put the volume rocker and power button just below the rear camera rather than the edge of the phone. The idea for this, we're told, is to make the handheld experience a little less awkward on such a large phone. Since the device is wider than smartphones of olden times, LG wanted to put more controls in a place that your fingers naturally rest. LG is also boasting thinner bezels -- 0.1-inch thick, to be precise -- thanks to a new dual-routing method in which the touch sensor uses two connectors. On the software side, LG has done more than just throw in a few ringtones from the Vienna Boys' Choir. It offers features like AnswerMe, which answers incoming calls when you put the phone up to your ear, and Slide Aside, which lets you do a three-finger gesture to "slide" open apps off the screen for multitasking. Text Link is another interesting idea, where the phone takes relevant text and inserts embeddable links to them in other apps -- of course, this is similar to what we've seen on iOS previously. There's also Guest Mode, which allows another user to access the phone (LG refers to this as a type of Kid Mode) by drawing a different gesture on the lock screen. We lay out the software in more detail here, so check it out for more info. If you're interested in the full spec sheet and how it compares to other flagships, we've got that here. We also have our hands-on here for more impressions of the device, as well as a press release and gallery below. %Gallery-195580%
LG G2 breaks cover in leaked press photo ahead of official reveal (updated)
Sure, LG's set to unveil the G2 tomorrow, but the firm's handset has made a surprise appearance on the eve of its official coming out party. @evleaks has snagged a press shot of a device that matches the reported G2 we've seen in covert photos and video, a leaked manual and promotional shots. The image doesn't bring any revelations, but it does give us an even clearer view of the hardware we'll see in just a few hours. Soon enough, we'll get to know the smartphone better than its case. Update: @evleaks has dished out another picture of the phone, giving us an unobstructed view of its face. Head past the break for the photo. Update #2: LG has just used the main leaked image in an official YouTube video (around the 2:12 mark), just in case we needed further confirmation that this is the G2.
We'll be liveblogging LG's G2 event tomorrow, join us at 11AM ET!
Speculation is overrated -- or at least LG seems to think so. The Korean phone-maker has already announced that the Optimus G will be succeeded by a handset dubbed the G2, and it's pretty clear that tomorrow's event will be a launch for that very device. There's still plenty we don't know about this upcoming handset, though, so you'll want to point your browser right here as we bring you the latest news live from the NYC event. August 7, 2013 11:00:00 AM EDT
Leaked manual for LG G2 confirms nano-SIM slot, no fingerprint reader
The LG G2. We already know plenty about its rear-mounted volume controls, funny cases and passion for classical music. We've even seen a video of the 5.2-inch 1080p handset in the flesh. But a question mark has remained over a couple of basic specs until today, when pages from a supposedly leaked manual appeared at reputed surprise-spoiler Nowhereelse.fr. Assuming the info is legit, which it seems to be, we can say that the thing between the volume buttons on the back of the phone is not a fingerprint reader, as some had hoped -- it's just a power/lock button. Also, the phone will follow in the footsteps of the iPhone 5 and Moto X by housing a nano-SIM slot. But unlike those two handsets, the G2 will offer microSD storage expansion, not to mention a removable 2,610mAh battery. At this point, there's really nothing left to discover except some availability info -- oh no, wait, we have some of that too.
The Daily Roundup for 07.30.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
LG G2 QuickWindow case revealed ahead of phone's unveiling
The curtains on the LG G2 won't be pulled back until August 7th, but that hasn't stopped the South Korean firm from announcing a case for the smartphone. Dubbed QuickWindow, the sheath sports a slot on its front that reveals a portion of the device's screen à la Samsung's S View Cover. Just slide a finger against the exposed display and a special QuickView UI will light up the area with incoming call details, text messages, a clock, weather report, alarm or music player. Though a release date for the G2 is still MIA, the case is set to launch alongside the phone in black, blue, mint, pink, purple, white and yellow. In a world filled with case leaks for unannounced hardware, we can't help but feel strange seeing a bonafide cover before we've officially laid eyes on the device it's made for.
LG execs allegedly spill G2 launch schedule, name Verizon as carrier partner
We know pretty much all there is to know about the LG G2 at this point, but we thought we'd have to wait until the official reveal event next month for release dates. Well, if Korean outlet The Kyunghyang Shinmun is to be believed, we'll have to keep wearing our fake surprise faces for that part of the presentation, too. A direct quote, apparently coming from LG Electronics' CFO David Jung (strangely, he's only referred to by title), pegs a release window of August for South Korea, September for North America and Europe, and October for all other regions. Furthermore, a different exec names Verizon as a US carrier partner, which would be the G2's third if the variant we've seen at the FCC is indeed destined for both AT&T and T-Mobile. For some reason, this new info has our Spidey-sense tingling (read: we cannot verify the accuracy of these reports), so we've reached out to LG for comment and will update this post if we hear anything more.
LG invitation and video tease G2 debut at August 7th event (video)
While there wasn't much doubt as to what LG would unveil at its August 7th event, the company has made it official: a new invitation and teaser video (both after the break) expressly state that we'll see the G2 at the New York City gathering. The invitation tells the media that it will be the "first in the world" to see the smartphone, and shows the device's signature (if frequently leaked) back-mounted volume buttons. At this rate, there won't be any real mystery left to the G2 by the time LG executives take to the stage -- still, we'll try to feign surprise at the launch.
A clear look at LG's upcoming Optimus G2 (update 2: video)
There's still one month to go before LG officially unveils its Optimus G successor, but thanks to an anonymous tipster, we have a pretty clear idea of what it'll look like. Similar to the G2 leaks we've seen in the past, this upcoming Android flagship falls more in line with the (LG-made) Nexus 4's rounded-edge design than the blockiness of the original Optimus G. As you can see in the image above, the purported G2's 5.2-inch, 1080p display is surrounded by very little bezel, making it appear near edge-to-edge. LG's also foregoing the three capacitive Android navigation buttons featured on the original G in favor of an onscreen (stock Android-like) arrangement. On back, we can clearly see LG is indeed going forward with that quirky volume rocker placement, which puts the controls just below the camera -- rumored to be a 13-megapixel module. Further corroborating earlier reports and LG's own official confirmation, our tipster pegs the G2's processor as a Snapdragon 800 clocked at 2.3GHz and paired with 2GB RAM. And although there are no visible signs of carrier branding on its glossy chassis, this particular G2 variant is supposedly headed to Sprint. Which, if true, lines up with the legacy set by the Sprint Optimus G -- a device that also launched free of the Now Network's logo. Apart from a few screens showing the launcher, camera UI and one of LG's various lockscreen options, there's not much more we know about its spec list (i.e. battery size). Though we fully expect more details to leak out in the run-up to August 7th. For now, check out the mini-gallery below and an additional, close up photo of the G2's volume rocker just after the break. Update: We've received additional photos of the G2's settings menu confirming this model as a Sprint variant running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. Update 2: 4Leakz has posted a video (after the break) showing the G2 in action. Reportedly, the phone is "very comfortable" and reminiscent of the Nexus 4, but thinner. [Thanks, Anonymous] %Gallery-193430%
OnLive Multiview on an LG Google TV, eyes-on (video)
Between the giant screen gaming demos, the shiny new hardware and the ever-present booth babes, the Electronic Entertainment Expo may well be the short attention span capital of North America at the moment. How does one possible manage to up the ante on electronic attention deficit disorder? Nintendo and Microsoft have both made pretty admirable strives in that direction with the Wii U GamePad and SmartGlass, respectively, bringing a second screen to home game play. OnLive is helping move things along as well, by way of the MultiView feature, which brings several screens worth of content to a single display -- in other words, you have other games taking up screen real estate while you're playing a game. OnLive's Spectate feature is nothing new, of course, letting you keep tabs on friends and scores of other players. MultiView, however, lets you watch that content while playing, the majority of the screen devoted to your own game, with this added footage in a sidebar. You can access the feature with the click of a button and chat with friends or coordinate with teammates. OnLive showed us the feature on an LG G2 Google TV -- the perfect opportunity for the company to highlight the new partnership. The 55-inch display also served as an ideal demo -- while the feature will also be available for mobile devices, you're really going to want a big screen, lest the whole thing become a little too cacophonous.
Engadget's summer gear guide 2012: home entertainment
In the interest of keeping cool this summer, we've put together a list of the hottest products out right now. From smartphones to e-readers and everything in between, there's no time like the present to re-up that post-spring-cleaning stash. So grab a popsicle or a cold one and dive in -- the water's just right. Forget heading outside to battle the sun, bugs and whatever other dangers may lurk in the wild -- we'll be inside near the TV. Of course, the summer programming schedule can often leave something to be desired, so we'll have to take that into account in our hardware suggestions going into the break. Also key is access to our preferred programming wherever it might be, broadcast or online. So, which devices are absolute must-have's to keep you chilling where the AC blows through October and beyond? Check past the break to find out.
