The G2 is not only one of LG's best ever smartphones, but also one of 2013's best buys, and its sequel is highly anticipated. Rumors of the so-called LG G3 have been spreading for several months now, and we're edging closer to its eventual release. To prepare for its arrival, we've gathered together all the most exciting gossip on the phone, and it's shaping up to be very exciting.
Updated on 04-17-2014 by Andy: Added in an image supposedly showing the LG G3. It's an "artist's impression" of the phone, created after some hands-on time with the unofficial device.
It'll probably be called the LG G3
Reports from the end of 2013 said LG hadn't settled on the G3 name, and the phone is currently under development using the codename B2. LG abandoned the Optimus name for its high-end hardware last year, so we know that's not going to make a return, but it also proves the firm isn't afraid to reinvent itself.
Various model numbers have also been attached to the G3. For example, one leak claims the phone will be the LG-D851, while the Verizon version will be reclassified as the LG-VS985. The LG-D972 is another possibility, along with LG-D830. A Sprint document may have revealed the network-specific version will be the LS990, following on from the G2′s LS980 model number.
For the record, the regular, unlocked LG G2 wears the model number LG-D802, while the Nexus 5 is the LG-D820.
What will it look like?
Considering the amount of rumors surrounding the LG G3, it's surprising it has taken this long for an image of the device to leak out. Our first look at the phone comes from a Bulgarian site, where a mockup of the phone has been created using notes made by someone who got some hands-on time with the device. According to the report, the phone has similar dimensions to the Galaxy S5, despite the likelihood of it having a larger screen, and will be wrapped in a polycarbonate body shell. The shell may have a brushed metal finish, making it look like the HTC One M8.
The image shows a dual-LED camera flash, and what could be an infrared blaster, flanking the camera lens on the rear. The G2′s trademark rear volume and power buttons should make a return, and with a slightly revised design if the mockup is accurate. We'll have to wait until the official unveiling to find out for sure, so in the meantime, treat this as a fan-made picture which may give us a vague taste of what's to come.
Release could come sooner than initially expected.
The LG G2 was announced in August 2013, so it's still several months away from turning one year old. It's therefore logical to expect LG to at least wait until summer to replace the device. Early rumors pointed to a July date, which sounds reasonable. However, some sources have also claimed LG is aiming for June instead, making the G2 only 10 months old when it's superseded. June isn't the final offer either. A report published in January said LG was targeting May 17 as the release date for the G3.
In mid-April, Korean sources claimed LG plans to reveal the G3 smartphone near the end of June, and will put the device on sale in July. This would certainly bring it closer to the G2′s one year anniversary, and ensure it's out before the next iPhone gobbles up even more attention than it is now. However, a July release would still put it several months behind the Galaxy S5 and the HTC One M8, two if its strongest smartphone rivals.
A 1440p touchscreen is almost certain
This has been one of the longest running rumors regarding the G3. In August 2013, LG showed off a prototype 5.5-inch smartphone screen boasting a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution, which it referred to as Quad HD. LG didn't provide any indication on when the screen would be fitted to a smartphone we could buy, but as it didn't show up on the G Pro 2, the G3 is the next bet. 1440p screens are no longer science fiction, and are fitted to a pair of Chinese smartphones, the Vivo XPlay 3S and the Oppo Find 7.
At the end of December 2013, a Korean news source said the G3 would be the first phone to use the Quad HD panel, but it also said we'd see the device launch during Mobile World Congress. Almost a month later, another report from Korea repeated the rumor, adding the screen size could increase to a monster 5.9-inches. Subsequently, the G Pro 2 was announced with a screen that size, suggested the wires were crossed somewhere.
This is LG's new 1440p super HD screen.
More recently, a tweet from the @evleaks Twitter account showed a screenshot taken from a User Agent Profile (special documents created by manufacturers which contain information relevant to content providers), which listed an LG phone with the model number D850 as having a 2560 x 1440 pixel display.
Another User Agent Profile was discovered in April, this time on Sprint's website. It lists an LG phone with the model number LS990, and shows it sporting a 2560 x 1440 pixel screen resolution. Additionally, the OS is shown to be Android 4.4.2 KitKat, and that the phone will be powered by a Snapdragon processor with 3GB of RAM. The document also reveals the phone has a 13-megapixel camera on the rear, and a 2.1-megapixel camera above the screen. There's no proof this is the rumored LG G3, and the LS990 model number is one which hasn't been seen before. However, Sprint's version of the LG G2 was also known as the LS980, so it's not a massive stretch to assume this is its sequel.
A photo, claimed to show the LG G3 passing an AnTuTu benchmarking test, was published around the same time as the Sprint UAP profile was discovered. Once again, it showed a display resolution of 2560 x 1440, with a pixel density of 640ppi. This figure is almost certainly wrong, as it equates to a screen size of around 4.6-inches, far smaller than we're expecting. Before dismissing the image entirely, this could be an anomaly with the AnTuTu system.
If LG does equip the G2 with such a high-res display, it'll successfully kick sand in the face of Samsung, which has gone with another 1080p panel for its Galaxy S5, Sony's Xperia Z2, and probably HTC's All New One too.
A new user interface, and "advanced personalization" features rumored
A screenshot, supposedly giving us a preview of the LG G3′s user interface, has been leaked. It's of particular interest because it shows a new look for LG's Android skin, with a flatter, more modern look than before. What's more, the image apparently had a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, seemingly confirming the reports LG will use its Quad HD display on the phone.
In mid-March, a rumor circulated LG was working on custom, intelligent software features for the G3. These could take advantage of Google Now's abilities, and add in learning capabilities to adapt the device to the way you use it. These are supposed to make the phone more personal, and you more productive, although we're not sure about a series of "helpful ideas" LG wants to provide on the device. This just gives us flashbacks to Microsoft's Clippy.
An octa-core processor is on the cards
In the same December 2013 report which claimed the G3 will have a 1440p screen, it was also suggested the device would be powered by an octa-core processor running at 2.2GHz. This would be a change from the G2, which used a Snapdragon 800, and like the screen resolution, would see the G32 stand apart from the competition.
However, which octa-core chip will it use? Opinion seems to be split between it being the MediaTek MT6595, and LG's own Odin chipset. The MediaTek "true octa-core" processor is seen as a cheap alternative to Qualcomm's chips, which probably isn't the impression LG wants to give potential buyers about the G3. MediaTek is keen to gain a wider international audience though, and any offer it made to LG may have been hard to resist.
MediaTek is one of several chip makers that could power the G3.
If it's not the MediaTek chip, what about the Odin? LG hasn't confirmed its existence, and unlike Samsung, isn't known for its mobile processors. Rumors first circulated in November last year. Apparently, LG is developing both a quad-core and an octa-core version, the latter running Cortex A15 and Cortex A7 cores at 2.2GHz. In late December, a reference to an LG Odin chip appeared on a benchmarking website, but running at a slow speed.
On April 10, a Korean report said LG had enlisted the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company to build the Odin processor, and that it would start doing so soon. The rumor is it'll be built using a 28nm process, but adds that it won't be powering the LG G3 when it's released.
The leaked photo mentioned above, which apparently shows an AnTuTu benchmarking result, also suggests the phone has an Adreno 330 GPU, which is used by both the Snapdragon 800 and the Snapdragon 801 processor.
The other option is the use of the new Snapdragon 805 processor. It's Qualcomm's update to the immensely popular Snapdragon 800, and we're expecting the 2.5GHz, quad-core chip to find its way into smartphones during the summer. Failing all that, the Snapdragon 801 would fit in nicely too.
A 16-megapixel camera with OIS+ is possible
LG fitted a 13-megapixel camera to the G2 and to the G Pro 2, and it looks like it'll do the same with the G3, should the information given with this leaked picture be correct. When camera test shots are leaked, it's often of something boring like a desk or wall, but for the G3, we got an awesome picture of a cat. It was shared at the beginning of March through an online chatroom, and according to the poster, comes from the G3's 13-megapixel camera.
This pic may have been taken by an LG G3.
LG added OIS+, a tweaked optical image stabilization system, to the G Pro 2, along with a depth of field adjustment tool, so it's possible both will also be included on the G3.
However, if LG does stick with a 13-megapixel camera, it'll fall behind the Galaxy S5. Last year, a rumor did emerge LG was planning to add a 16-megapixel camera to the G3, which would match that of its arch-rival.
LG could make the G3 waterproof
Waterproofing flagship smartphones is all the rage, with both Sony and Samsung making their high-end hardware resistant to the wet stuff. A report from Korea says LG will do the same with the G3, and it's apparently working on a new way of keeping the phone dry. No specifics were shared on what this technology could be though. A week earlier, an additional report also spoke about a waterproof and dust proof G3, adding weight to the rumor.
LG considering fingerprint or retina scanning features
During a February press conference in Korea, LG's VP of Europe, Cho Seong Ha, was quoted as saying the company is considering the possibility of adding fingerprint or retina scanning technology to the G3. Fingerprint scanning is another Galaxy S5 feature, and is also present on the Apple iPhone 5S.
Will you unlock your G3 with your eyes?
Back in January, another Korean report indicated LG wanted to add fingerprint scanning to the G3, and that a sensor had been dropped from the G2 during the final development stage.
LG's G Watch to join it?
LG's G Watch may not have received the same level of attention as the Moto 360, but it's currently the only other Android Wear device we know of, and that makes it exciting. LG hasn't said much other than it having a summer release date, and therefore it may debut alongside the G3. Samsung treated its new Gear 2 watches in the same way, and put them alongside the Galaxy S5 during its MWC 2014 press conference.
There's still plenty we don't know about the G3, including what it'll look like, and whether the now famous rear-mounted controls will see an upgrade. We'll be keeping a close eye on the news, and update here when anything new breaks regarding the G3.
Updates:
Updated on 04-16-2014 by Andy: We've added in the latest rumors regarding the G3′s launch date, now speculated to be in June, plus more evidence the phone will have a 1440p screen.
Updated on 04-10-2014 by Andy: We've added more news on the LG Odin processor, which may not debut inside the G3, plus a leaked screenshot of the phone's new user interface, and talk of intelligent, personalized software features.
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