LG G Pro 2 gets unveiled in Korea ahead of MWC 2014

Before making its first public appearance, LG has announced the arrival of the G Pro 2 for the Korean market. This high-end smartphone will be the manufacturer’s bid to claim the title of “Best Smartphone of MWC”, a distinction that its predecessor, the LG Optimus G Pro, was said to possess.

Much of what LG is now disclosing about the G Pro 2 is pretty much common knowledge by now thanks to leaks and even official teasers. We do have here a 2.26 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 matched with a 3G RAM and 16 or 32 GB of internal storage. The display is a large 5.9-inch, but don’t go looking for 2K resolutions as it only supports 1920×1080 pixels. As expected, it will be running Android 4.4. The specs might sound quite banal, but LG’s focus is on the G Pro 2’s camera feature and user experience enhancements.

Perhaps in a nod to Sony’s own flagship, the camera takes center stage in this latest LG smartphone. The rear camera might only clock at 13 megapixels, but more experienced photographers and users will tell you that megapixels aren’t the entire story. As LG earlier revealed, the G Pro 2 will be sporting a new OIS+ technology which augments hardware-based optical image stabilization with anti-shake software. The camera is also capable of recording 720p videos in 120 fps, which can later be edited to one-half slow motion or one-fourth slow motion. It also supports Ultra HD video recording, though the exact frame rate hasn’t been mentioned. The new Magic Focus feature is rather interesting, allowing users to select the depth of focus after the shot has been taken and before saving it.

The G Pro 2 is also equipped with a variety of software features to enhance the user experience. Unsurprisingly, LG is advertising its KnockOn functionality, which was renamed to Knock and now again to Knock Code. But there are other interesting bits as well, like Content Lock which, as the name suggests, protects files with a password. The Mini View feature which shrinks the display to a configurable size, from 3.4 inches to 4.7 inches, sounds eerily similar to Samsung’s one handed operation feature. The Dual Browser feature introduces split screen functionality but limits it to the browser app.

The LG G Pro 2 will be available initially in Korea, though no launch date has been revealed yet. International availability is still unknown at this point. Expect to see LG’s latest masterpiece in MWC 2014, where it will be put to a quick test to determine if it is really worth bagging the title once again.