After months of rumors and speculation the LG G3 is finally here and by the looks of things it's very much worth the wait.
It's hardly the shock announcement of the year, as even LG itself spilled the beans on the G3 on more than one occasion, but with our muted excitement of the launch put to on side we have taken a closer look at the handset.
- Read our hands on: LG G3 review
From its stunning screen to its stylish build this is premium device through and through and we've got all the details, all in one place. So settle down and read up on what may well be your next phone.
What is it? The sequel to 2013's excellent LG G2
When is it out? June
What will it cost? It's expected to start at around £550
LG G3 release date and price
LG has announced June as the LG G3 release date in the UK Europe, although we're still waiting to hear the dates for other markets.
We're still waiting on price, though it's expected to retail for roughly £550 / $925 / AU$1000 SIM free, putting it on a par with other recent flagships.
LG G3 design
Like the LG G2, the G3 retains the rear buttons, albeit making them more rounded and a bit flatter - and hopefully easier to hit. Both phones are also plastic, but while the G2 looks and feels as plastic as it is, the LG G3 is cunningly disguised to almost seem as though it's made of metal. The effect is quite convincing, but that's all it is, an effect.
With dimensions of 146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9mm it's certainly on the large size, but that's to be expected given the large 5.5-inch screen and actually the tiny bezels and curved, removable back cover should mean it's still useable with one hand. It's not enormously heavy though at 149g.
Button wise there's just the power button and volume keys on the back, the sides and front don't have any buttons at all. All you really get on the front is that 5.5-inch screen, with bezels above and below it and an earpiece at the top.
The 1 watt speaker is on the back, while the headphone port and micro USB port are on the bottom edge. The G3 will be available in white, black and gold.
LG G3 display
There are no surprises with the display - and we're happy about that. It means the LG G3 does arrive with the hotly tipped 5.5-inch Quad HD (2560 x 1440) IPS LCD screen with a pixel density of 538ppi. So not only is it big but it's ludicrously high resolution.
Even other flagships like the HTC One M8 and Samsung Galaxy S5 only have 1080p screens so this could be a huge selling point for the G3 and puts it above most of the competition in the display department.
LG G3 power
The LG G3 has a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, 2 or 3GB of RAM depending on whether you plump for the 16GB or 32GB model and an Adreno 330 GPU.
LG G3 operating system
As expected, the LG G3 will ship with Android 4.4.2 KitKat and it will be overlaid with LG's Optimus UI. It's a different version of it to what we've seen before though.
The whole look has been changed to give it flatter, circular and less childish icons, while there's also a big new feature in the form of 'Smart Notice'.
This provides context sensitive information, suggestions and reminders based on where you are, the status of your phone and your behaviour. So for example when you get to work in the morning it might ask if you want to turn Wi-Fi on, or if you haven't used an app for a few months it might ask if you want to delete it.
The LG G3 also includes Knock Code, which isn't a new thing as we've seen it already on other LG handsets, but it is a welcome addition as it allows you to wake up and unlock your phone with a series of taps when the screen is off.
LG G3 camera
The LG G3 has a 13MP camera, just like the LG G2 before it, but it has seen some improvements as it now has a dual-LED flash, OIS+ and a laser autofocus.
It should be able to focus quickly and take sharp photos. The front-facing camera is a rather more humble 2.1MP offering.
LG G3 battery
The G3 has a removable 3000mAh battery which is roughly in line with rival phones. The Samsung Galaxy S5 for example has a 2800mAh battery, while the Sony Xperia Z2 has a 3200mAh one.
Of course neither of those phones have QHD screens, so it remains to be seen how well the battery will hold up, but at least you can carry a spare with you if need be.
LG G3 connectivity
The LG G3 supports 3G, 4G (and LTE Advance where available), Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC. It also has a microSD card slot (with support for cards of up to 128GB) to bulk up the storage from the 16 or 32GB that you can get with it and if you put it in a QuickCircle Case it will support Qi wireless charging too.
QuickCircle Case
Speaking of the QuickCircle case, that's something that deserves a mention in its own right. As well as imbibing the G3 with wireless charging smarts it will give you access to the phone while keeping it fully protected.
It does this by having a circular cut-out across a portion of the screen, which alongside some circular widgets allows you to control everything from music to calls without ever having to open the case. The QuickCircle Case is sold separately and comes in black, white, gold, mint and pink.
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