LG G2 Is First Smartphone To Move Buttons To The Rear

LG is looking to continue its momentum in the smartphone market with the LG G2, a 5.2-inch smartphone which is the first to place all of its physical buttons on the rear of the device.

The Korean manufacturer said the motivation behind the design was the realisation that as smartphones have become bigger, side keys have become increasingly difficult for the user to reach.

By placing buttons which launch certain applications or change volume on the rear, LG says they will be closer to where the user’s fingers are usually located. The phone can also be woken up by tapping the screen twice – removing the need to use any buttons at all.

LG G2 launch

“Our definition of innovation today is technology that truly resonates with consumers,” said Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG. “We have always listened to and learned from consumers in pursuit of innovation. We took these insights to new heights in developing LG G2, the most exciting and ambitious mobile phone in our company’s history.”

The LG G2’s display claims to be the largest ever designed for one-handed use and boasts 440 pixels per inch (ppi), promising vibrant colour and clarity, while studio quality hi-fi improves its sound credentials for entertainment.

On board is a 13 megapixel camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS) which should reduce blur in photos and shaking in videos, while both the rear and front cameras can be used at the same time.

Android momentum

This is all powered by a 2.3 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 quad core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB or 32GB of storage and Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2. LG also promises that the 3,000 mAh Sio+ battery will provide extended battery life, while the employment of Graphic RAM (GRAM) technology will reduce the amount of energy used to power the screen.

The LG G2 will be available in black and white and will launch in South Korea before reaching North America and Europe, including the UK, across the next eight weeks.

LG has seen its share of the smartphone market increase dramatically in recent months, almost entirely due to the launch of the LG Nexus 4, which was launched earlier this year. The company will hope that the LG G2 is able to capitalise on this success and challenge other Android heavyweights like Samsung and HTC.

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