Android Gamer: LG’s next Galaxy Note competitor officially announced, the G Pro 2

We’ve been hearing lots of rumors regarding LG’s next competitor in the phablet market, the G Pro 2. Wednesday night LG made the official announcement, spilling on the beans on the handset’s specs and new features. Lets get right to the nitty gritty:

LG G Pro 2 Specs:

Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 800 (2.26 GHz Quad-Core)
GPU: Qualcomm Technologies Adreno™ 330
Display: 5.9-inch Full HD IPS (1920 x 1080)
Memory: 3GB DDR3 RAM / 16GB/32GB eMMC ROM / microSD slot
Camera: Rear 13.0MP OIS+ / Front 2.1MP
Battery: 3,200mAh (removable)
OS: Android 4.4 KitKat
Size: 157.9 x 81.9 x 8.3mm
Weight: 172g
Network: LTE / HSPA+
Connectivity: Bluetooth Smart Ready (BT 4.0) / USB / WiFi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac) / NFC / SlimPort
Colors: Titan, White, Red

If you compare these specs to some notable ones on the Galaxy Note 3, which has a 5.7-inch display and 151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3 mm dimensions, we’re getting 0.2 more inches of display but also a set of on-screen buttons, which I really like. LG claims that “the G Pro 2 offers an industry-leading screen-to-frame ratio of 77.2 percent.” The company has been able to bring us some beautifully small bezels in the past, like on the LG G2, allowing for big displays on phones that fit great in the hand. I’m genuinely interested to find out how this device feels in the hand.

One other notable feature LG announced is the Knock Code. I’ve always been jealous of the LG G2′s KnockON feature. Now LG is taking it one step further and adding a security feature that allows users to knock on the phone with different patterns. If it’s actually faster than waking up the device and entering a password or pattern, I think it could be a really cool idea.

LG says that the “availability of G Pro 2 in markets outside of Korea has not yet been determined but attendees to the 2014 Mobile World Congress can experience the G Pro 2 and its features first-hand.” So I’m excited to see some hands-on reports with the new device.

So what do you think of the newest high-end phablet from LG? Do you think the G Pro 2 can compete with the Galaxy Note series? Does it bring features that will take it to the top? Let us know your thoughts on the new device by commenting below!

Show Press Release

SEOUL, Feb. 13, 2014 ― Today LG Electronics (LG) introduced the LG G Pro 2, its follow-up to the award-winning G Pro, to the Korean public. Much like last year’s G Pro, which was recognized as the Best Smartphone of MWC 2013, the G Pro 2 comes equipped with a state-of-the-art display and new UX features to take user convenience to the next level.

With a stunning 5.9-inch Full HD IPS display and extra slim bezel of 3.3mm, the G Pro 2 offers an industry-leading screen-to-frame ratio of 77.2 percent. A thicker, high-power 1W Hi-Fi sound that’s 30 percent louder than in the G Pro delivers clearer sound with more powerful bass. And to simplify the powering on and unlocking process, LG engineers developed a completely unique feature called Knock Code™ which makes unlocking and using the G Pro 2 easier and more convenient than ever before.

“Knock Code is an example of LG bringing simpler, more convenient solutions to consumers’ mobile lives,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “Whereas in the early years of smartphones it was a contest to see how many features could be stuffed into the phones, our researchers took a long, hard look at how consumers were really using their devices in their daily lives and included just the most useful UX features. We think customers will agree.”

An evolution of the popular KnockON feature that was first unveiled last year in the LG G2, Knock Code allows owners to power on and unlock their G Pro 2 smartphones in one easy step by tapping their screens using one of 86,367 “knock” combinations. Thanks to LG’s intelligent algorithm and advanced hardware, the knock pattern can be entered on any area of the screen ― whether the display is turned on or off ― using anywhere from two to eight taps.

The G Pro 2 is the first LG smartphone to benefit from an enhanced 13MP camera with OIS+ (Optical Image Stabilizer Plus) and advanced functions ideal for creating sharing content. LG’s proprietary OIS+ technology adds software anti-shake functionality to the acclaimed hardware-based feature already built into the slim camera module for the best photos and videos possible when in motion or in low light situations. What’s more, the sensors and lens of the rear and front camera on the G Pro 2 have increased in both size and sensitivity, for images that rival many standalone point-and-shoot cameras. Some of the other advanced image capturing features built into the G Pro 2 are:

· 120FPS HD Video Recording and Slow-Motion Editing: Records in 120fps HD and allows editing of video in three different speeds ― one-half slow motion, one-fourth slow motion and original

· 4K ULTRA HD Recording: Records video footage in ultra-high definition mode for playback on 4K TV sets

· Magic Focus: After the shot is taken, user have the option to select the preferred depth of focus before saving. Users can also press the all-in-focus icon to make every object in the frame look their sharpest

· Natural Flash: Offers more balanced color temperature and exposure for the most natural-looking photos compared to images taken with a normal flash

· Flash for Selfie: Reduces the size of the preview screen and adds a bright white background for more “soft” lighting in self-portrait mode

· Burst Shot: Takes up to 20 continuous shots and automatically edits them to create a video of the captured images

· Gallery Collage: Allows users to select photos from their gallery to create a collage for easy uploading to favorite social network sites

In addition to the latest components, the G Pro 2 also boasts a collection of upgraded features that complements today’s mobile lifestyle where much of the information we need is in the palm of our hands or in our back pockets. Some of these new UX features include:

· Content Lock: Provides users more security with the ability to lock files, photos, videos and memos with a unique password

· Mini View: Enables users to comfortably use the G Pro 2 with one hand by shrinking the display to a size ranging from 3.4 inches to 4.7 inches, depending on the user’s preference

· Dual Browser: Divides the expansive screen into two separate browser windows for more convenient surfing

Availability of G Pro 2 in markets outside of Korea has not yet been determined but attendees to the 2014 Mobile World Congress can experience the G Pro 2 and its features first-hand at LG’s Booth in Hall 3 of Fira Gran Via.

Key Specifications:

- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 800 (2.26 GHz Quad-Core)

- GPU: Qualcomm Technologies Adreno™ 330

- Display: 5.9-inch Full HD IPS (1920 x 1080), Slim Bezel

- Memory: 3GB DDR3 RAM / 16GB/32GB eMMC ROM / microSD slot

- Camera: Rear 13.0MP OIS+ / Front 2.1MP

- Battery: 3,200mAh (removable)

- Operating System: Android 4.4 KitKat

- Size: 157.9 x 81.9 x 8.3mm

- Weight: 172g

- Network: LTE / HSPA+

- Connectivity: Bluetooth Smart Ready (BT 4.0) / USB / WiFi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac) / NFC / SlimPort