LG Announces Optimus G2, in Singapore Soon

LG latest smartphone, the G2 is the successor to the Optimus G, which was also the phone the Nexus 4 was based on. Would this give us some hints towards the next Nexus 4 version? The form factor might be the giveaway as I don’t think Google will stray from the 4. 7 inch form factor, for now.

The new Optimus G2 boasts a 5.2 inch screen, as the phone display size continues to stretch, each time gaining that 0.1″. It might even be considered a “phablet”, similar to the likes of the Galaxy Note. The G2’s full HD 5.2″ screen is the largest available in a device just 2.7 inches wide, with minimal space at the sides taken up by the bezel. That aside, the G2 is equipped with the best on offer in terms of hardware specs at the moment. The increased battery capacity is also very much welcomed and it would be interesting to see how the rear camera performs with the optical image stablization.

• Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 800 Processor with 2.26 GHz Quad-Core CPUs
• Enhanced 3000 mAh SiO+ battery lets you go further between charges
• 5.2″ Full HD 1080p IPS display
• 13 megapixel rear camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) technology
• Rear power and volume key for a sleek design and intuitive, natural use

Click for a 360 view of the Optimus G2.

Otherwise, another aspect of the G2 is the unique approach on ergonomics. LG have placed the power and volume buttons on the rear of the device. LG says the placement of the buttons makes it easy to access the functions and minimizes the risk of dropping the phone when accessing the phone’s functions. Ermm… I guess that is true to some extent and it also means the controls are accessible from either the left or right hand, and there’s no need to wrap or stretch your fingers trying to access the controls, which happens pretty often with phones now becoming larger than 5″.

However, I wonder if the button would interfere when I leave the phone on the table, with the power button propping the phone up. Initially, I was also curious if that meant I need to pick up the phone everytime I want to check a message or email. But LG has included a new software feature, “Knock on”, just knock twice on G2 to gently wake your phone’s display without picking it up or pressing the power key. Well, we will try it out in future, to determine the practical nature of such an arrangement.

The G2 will be available beginning in South Korea, North America and Europe over the next eight weeks. targeting at end September. Check out the latest post on the G2, which indicates that it would be out in Singapore pretty soon.