LG G2 launched: 5.2in HD display up front, 13-megapixel camera & buttons on the back

LG has introduced the G2, the company’s new flagship Android smartphone, at a New York launch event. The handset, which is due to go up against South Korean rival Samsung’s Galaxy S4, has all the hallmarks of a top-end device.

With a 5.2in, 1920×1080 Full HD edge-to-edge display which has a whopping 423 pixels-per-inch (PPI) pixel density, the G2 is larger than the Galaxy S4, HTC One and Sony Xperia Z – although it still pales in comparison to the mammoth Galaxy Mega. It uses IPS LCD technology, rather than AMOLED, which should mean fantastic viewing angles and brighter whites, although we’ll withhold judgement until we see one in the flesh. The display also uses Graphic RAM (GRAM) which, according to LG, will help reduce energy consumption.

It also has one of the screen thinnest bezels found on a smartphone, which is why the power and volume controls have been moved to the back of the device. At 8.9mm thick and just 6.8cm wide, it should be comfortable to hold despite the large display. Your index finger naturally rests on the back of your phone anyway, so the relocated buttons could make a lot of sense – we’ll have to wait to try one to discover if that’s the case.

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A 13-megapixel camera on the rear of the handset is placed just above the volume controls. The camera sensor has optical image stabilisation and multi-point autofocus, which should give it a boost when it comes to low-light photography – despite not using Ultrapixel or Pureview technologies like the Nokia Lumia 1020. The lens is protected with sapphire crystal and coated with an anti-fingerprint finish, so you shouldn’t be able to scratch it, despite having the buttons right below it. There’s also a 2.1-megapixel webcam on the front of the phone.

LG demonstrated the G2’s optical image stabilisation – but not against Nokia’s OIS-equipped Lumia 920

The handset is powered by Qualcomm’s top-end Snapdragon 800 system-on-chip (SoC) running at 2.26GHz, which should make it one of the fastest smartphones around. It’s paired with 2GB of RAM and will ship with either 16GB or 32GB of internal storage.

LG has developed an increased density 3,000mAh battery to fit around the rear buttons, which should mean the G2 will last over twelve hours when watching video. Again, we’ll have to put it through our battery tests to determine whether it’s capable of a full-day endurance test.

The rear volume buttons double as app shortcuts

The G2 includes 4G Long Term Evolution {LTE) connectivity, GPS and GLONASS navigation, NFC and an IR blaster. During the launch event, LG also mentioned the G2’s unique “Hi-Fi” sound, but it’s unclear whether the handset uses a high quality DAC or is simply using marketing in a similar vein to HTC’s Beats Audio crossover to appeal to audiophiles. We’ve asked for clarification and will update this story when we learn more.

LG has opted for Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, as the latest 4.3 edition is currently only available to Nexus devices. It uses a custom skin that looks very similar to the Galaxy S4, with colourful app icons and large fonts. The pattern lock screen lets you set multiple gestures to log into admin or guest accounts quickly, and includes several apps unique to LG.

LG has yet to confirm an exact UK launch date, or a price for the G2, but did commit to bringing the phone to major markets in “the next eight weeks”, starting with South Korea and followed by North America, Europe and “other key markets”. As a top-end smartphone, we expect it will be priced accordingly once it does arrive.