Korean tech firm LG is looking to take on Samsung’s Galaxy S3 and HTC’s One X smartphones, with its latest and greatest device in its Android-running Optimus range - the Optimus G Lightning. This smartphone measures 131.9 x 68.9 x 8.45 mm and weighs 145 g, making it thinner but heavier than both the One X and S3.

Displaying signs of Korean screen innovation

According to LG, the G2 Touch Hybrid Display is clearer than AMOLED displays, whilst requiring less power. The 4.7" True HD (1280 x 768 pixels) IPS+ screen sports a high pixel density of 320 ppi (pixels per inch) and is capable of generating 470 nits of brightness. This, while consuming 70% less power than similar sized touchscreens when displaying a white background.

The G2 Touch Hybrid Display is a unibody unit that eliminates the gap between the glass and the LCD panel as found in traditional touchscreens. As a result, the thickness of this touchscreen panel was reduced by 30%.

Powering this Korean superphone

Besides its innovative display, this new device is also the first 4G (LTE) enabled smartphone to be powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064 1.5 GHz quad-core processor. This CPU should easily compete with the S3’s quad-core 1.4 GHz Exynos 4212 Quad and the One X’s quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3.

Handling the operating will be Google’s Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) but not the latest offering from the search giant - Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean). The Optimus G also packs a whopping 2 GB DDR2 RAM, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera for video calls and capturing self-portraits as well as a massive 13 MP rear-facing snapper.

Novel battery tech to boost energy efficiency

Innovation is also offered with the new smartphone battery developed for the Optimus G Lightning. According to LG, standard mobile phone batteries have a lifespan of 500 charges, but the new unit utilised in the Optimus G sports a lifespan of 800 cycles, which is a first for a mobile device. In addition, this new battery makes use of LG Chem’s high-density technology to deliver 60% more efficiently compared to other similarly-sized (2100 mAh) batteries.

The LG Optimus G Lightning is launching in South Korea next month, with a global release scheduled for later this year. No local release info is available yet.  

In related news, LG also recently showcased its L series smartphone range locally and confirmed release details for the middle of the range L5. Additionally, the entry-level L3 and the high-end of the range, the L7, were similarly on display.