CES 2015: LG unveils octa-core G Flex 2 phablet with 5.5 inch curved display

The ongoing Consumers Electronic Show (CES) 2015 in Las Vegas has already seen a number of interesting product launches by the likes of HTC, ASUS and Lenovo. In this article, we are going to talk about the products launched by LG Electronics.

LG has unveiled the successor to the original G Flex, the first device from the company to sport a curved display. Christened G Flex 2, the phablet sports a slightly smaller 5.5 inch curved display and runs on the latest Android Lollipop operating system. Launched at Rs 69,490 in Feb last year, G Flex is currently available for purchase in the country for as low as Rs 48,089.

Here is a look at the specifications of the device.

The phablet has a 5.5-inch full HD curved P-OLED capacitive touchscreen display (1920×1080 pixels resolution) with 403 ppi pixel density. It runs on the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system and is powered by a 2.0 GHz 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor. Users will have the option of choosing between 2 and 3GB of RAM, as well as 16 and 32GB of internal memory. The internal memory of the smartphone can be further expanded up to 128GB with a microSD card.

According to LG, the vertically curved design of G Flex 2 is for more than looks. The phone's ergonomic design brings the microphone closer to the mouth, for better sound pickup compared to conventional smartphones. The display's 700mm radius curvature delivers an immersive viewing experience from any angle, while the steeper 650mm radius curvature of the back is more comfortable to grip and fits easier in the pocket (at least that is what the company claims).

G Flex 2 has a 13 mega pixel rear camera (with laser autofocus) with dual-LED Flash that supports 4K Ultra HD video recording and full high definition videos (1080p) at 60 frames per second. In addition, its 2.1 MP front-facing camera can also record full HD videos at 30 fps. On the connectivity front, the device has Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi (with Wi-Fi Direct), 3G and 4G LTE, as well as a micro USB port and a microSD card slot

LG has provided a 3,000 mAh battery in the device, which also comes with GPS (with A-GPS support), Near Field Communication (NFC), and Stereo FM with RDS. The phablet measures 149.1mm x 75.3mm x 9.4mm and weighs 152 gm. It will be available in platinum silver and flamenco red colours.

LG G Flex also features the 'Rear Key' first introduced in the LG G2. Devoid of any buttons on the sides, the company has relocated all the physical buttons to the rear of the device. The keys that have been placed at the rear of the smartphone (just under the camera) include the volume keys and the power button.

Additional features include Gesture Shot- makes it easy to capture the perfect selfie with a simple hand gesture (recognisable from up to 1.5 meters away); Gesture View- makes it easy to check your last shot immediately after taking a photo or selfie; GlanceView- displays key information such as time, recent messages or missed calls with a downward swipe of the curved screen (even while the display is off); and Fast Charge- allows the battery to be charged up to 50 per cent in under 40 minutes.

G Flex 2 vs. G Flex

In comparison to G Flex 2, the original G Flex sports a slightly bigger 6-inch HD curved P-OLED capacitive touchscreen display (1280×720 pixels resolution), and runs on the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS. It is powered by a 2.26 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and has 2GB of RAM. The internal memory of the device is 32GB, but further memory expansion is not available.

G Flex has a 13 mega pixel autofocus rear camera with LED Flash that can record full HD videos at 60 fps and a 2.1 MP front-facing camera for video calls that can also record full HD videos at 30 fps. On the connectivity front, the device has Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, NFC, 3G and 4G LTE. It also comes with a micro USB port but has no microSD card slot. The device has a 3,500 mAh battery and comes with GPS (with A-GPS support).

The phablet measures 160.5mm x 81.6mm x 8.7mm and weighs 177 gm. It is available in titan silver colour. It also has FM Radio with RDS.

You can also read our detailed coverage of the product launches by ASUS and HTC at CES 2015 here and here.