LG launches G3 Beat, a compact version of its flagship smartphone, for Rs 25,000 in India

After unveiling the same earlier this year, LG Electronics has now launched its G3 Beat smartphone in the Indian market. A compact version of the company's flagship smartphone G3, the device sports a 5 inch display and runs on the Android operating system. Targeted at the mid-price range segment of the smartphone segment, it has been priced at Rs 25,000 in the country.

"The LG G3 Beat represents our commitment to the mid-tier smartphone market that demands mature technology, proven performance, great innovation and an attractive price, all in a single device," said Swoon Koon, MD, LG Electronics India.

Here is a look at the specifications of the device.

The smartphone sports a 5 inch HD IPS capacitive touchscreen display (1280×720 pixels resolution) with 294ppi pixel density. It runs on the Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system and is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor. The device comes with 8GB of internal memory that can be further expanded with a microSD card, and has 1GB of RAM.

LG G3 Beat has an 8 megapixel autofocus rear camera with LED Flash that can also record full high definition videos (1080p) at 30 frames per second, and a 1.3MP front facing camera for video calling. The Optical Image Stabilizer Plus (OIS+) rear camera also has 'Laser Auto Focus' which LG claims can shoot sharp images in a fraction of the time required by conventional phone cameras. On the connectivity front, it has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G LTE, as well as a microUSB port and microSD card slot.

The dimensions of the device are 137.7 x 69.6 x 10.3mm and its weight is 134 gm. The company has provided a removable 2,540 mAh battery in the device, which also has GPS (with A-GPS support), and Near Field Communication (NFC). The smartphone is available in metallic black, silk white, and shine gold colours.

Additional features include a 'Smart Keyboard', which LG claims reduces input errors by up to 75 percent by tracking and analysing typing habits and intuitively 'knowing' what word the user intends to type. Individual keys can also be customised with frequently used symbols for even faster input. Also, Knock Code enables users to unlock their device with a pattern of taps. Merging security and convenience, users can create a personalised code that can be entered anywhere on the screen.

G3 Beat vs. LG G3

In comparison, older brother G3 has a slightly bigger 5.5 inch Quad HD IPS capacitive touchscreen display (2560×1440 pixels resolution) with 538ppi pixel density. It runs on the latest Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system and is powered by a 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor. Users can select between 2 and 3GB of RAM. They will also get an option of choosing between 16 and 32GB of internal memory, which can be further expanded up to 128GB with a microSD card.

LG G3 has a 13 megapixel autofocus rear camera with dual LED Flash that can also record full high definition videos (1080p) at 60 frames per second, as well as a 2.1MP front facing camera that can also record full HD videos (1080p) at 30 fps. On the connectivity front, it has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G LTE, as well as a microUSB port and microSD card slot.

The dimensions of the device are 146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9mm and its weight is 149 gm. The company has provided a removable 3,000 mAh battery in the device, which also has GPS (with A-GPS support), and NFC. It is available in metallic black, silk white, shine gold, moon violet and burgundy red colours. This one can be purchased online for a price of Rs 43,970.