Last year, LG’s most notable smartphones were the Optimus G Pro, the LG G2, and of course, the rather unique G Flex. In collaboration with Google, the company also launched the successful Nexus 5, so things are looking quite alright for LG. The consumer electronics giant recently revealed its overall revenues for 2013, indicating that profits have increased to $1.17 billion, up from $1.08 billion recorded in 2012.
In any case, the big question now is: what’s next for LG and what new smartphones can we expect? Unsurprisingly, it appears that the next handset to come out of LG could be an Optimus G Pro successor. However, since LG has abandoned the Optimus moniker for its flagship line-up, the gadget will apparently be called the “G2 Pro.” While the device’s specifications are not yet official, there have been numerous reports hinting at what could make it tick. Join us below and we’ll tell you everything we think we know about this particular device.
Hardware Specifications
Since the beginning of the new year, South Korean media has been buzzing with reports surrounding the so-called LG G2 Pro. Some of these rumors have even hinted at the smartphone’s hardware specifications. However, as it repeatedly happens with leaks and rumors, the device’s internals are still shrouded in a layer of mystery.
The big unknown here is whether or not the G2 Pro will feature a full HD (1080 x 1920) display, or a QHD one (1440 x 2560). Earlier rumors have hinted that the device will most likely deliver a QHD panel, but more recent reports have indicated otherwise. According to the latest, the G2 Pro will pack a 6-inch panel with a resolution of 1080 x 1920, 3 GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 800 SoC. While the exact model is unknown, hopefully LG will equip the phablet with a more up-to-date SD 800 version, such as 8974-AB or 8974-AC. This would mean that the CPU would work at a frequency of up to 2.36 GHz, or up to 2.46 GHz respectively.
There have also been rumors that LG is planning on fitting the G2 successor with its own Odin chip, but whether or not the LG G2 Pro will benefit from this SoC is currently unknown. However, since LG and Qualcomm came to an agreement in June 2013 that the “G” series will be powered by Snapdragon chips, chances are that the Odin processor is out of the question.
Last but not least, reports have also suggested that the G2 Pro will feature Android 4.4 KitKat out of the box, and that it could offer a 16 MP main camera with Optical Image Stabilization on-board. LG has already managed to fit last year’s LG G2 with OIS while the Samsung Galaxy S4 / Note 3 failed to do so, and with that in mind, an OIS-enabled sensor on the G2 Pro doesn’t seem to be far-fetched.
Expected Unveiling and Release
Whether the G2 Pro will feature an Odin or Snapdragon 800 CPU, and regardless if it will adopt a full HD or QHD display, the fact of the matter is that the device appears to be aimed at the top-range market segment. This makes the device a highly anticipated one, and thankfully, LG has actually made the wait easier by setting the unveiling of the G2 Pro in stone.
Following the rumors suggesting that the Optimus G Pro successor will be launched in May 2014, the Korean manufacturer has spilled the beans and officially announced that the G2 Pro will be revealed in February. As expected, the event will take place during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, sometime between February 24 and 27.
Interestingly enough, this might make the G2 Pro a strong competitor to the Samsung Galaxy S5, especially if the device will deliver a QHD display. If it does, then LG will have a head start in the battle for pixel count, and it could steal Samsung’s thunder, at least for a little while.
In the end, there are four more weeks until the G2 Pro hits the scene, and until then, chances are that more leaks and rumors concerning the device will hit the blogosphere. Let’s also not forget the rumors indicating that there’s an LG G3 planned for a release by the end of Q2 2014, relatively shortly after the G2 Pro will hit the shelves. Needless to say, gadget enthusiasts have a lot to look forward to.
Are any of The Diplomat’s readers excited about the LG G2 Pro? If so, then we encourage you to share your opinions below. What would you expect from this particular device, and do you think it can make an impact on the market assuming that it will be released in a similar time-frame as the Samsung Galaxy S5?
Vlad Andrici is editor for gforgames.com and writes about technology issues. Follow Vlad on Google Plus.