LG G Pro 2 announced before MWC

LG took the wraps off its newest phablet, the LG G Pro 2 at its “Knock-Knock Knockin’ On” event in Seoul on Thursday, February 13.The G Pro 2 is a 5.9-inch smartphone, and successor to Optimus G Pro.

The knock-knock theme is a reference to a new feature called “Knock Code”, an evolution of its KnockON feature which lets users turn on their display on or off with a simple double tap on the phone’s screen. Knock Code lets power on and unlock your phone with a knock combination – anywhere between two to eight taps in a specified area of the screen.

I initially saw KnockON as a gimmick, but after a week with the LG G2 (the first device with this feature) I realized it was a feature that should come standard on all smartphones. Not having to reach for the power button is a time saver. The Nokia Lumia 1520 has this feature built-in.

Building on the impressive camera of the LG G2 (one of the best smartphone cameras of 2013), the G Pro 2 boasts of a host of photography related upgrade. The image sensor on both its front and rear cameras have been increased in size (although LG has not released those specifics yet). When it comes to taking better photos, image sensor size is one of, if not the most important factors, not megapixels.

Just like what Apple did with when it increased the sensor size on the iPhone 5S from the 5 but kept its camera at 8 megapixels, the G Pro 2 wisely retains the G2’s 13 megapixel main camera but throws in optical image stabilization plus (OIS+). OIS+ is a mix of hardware and software image stabilization methods that promise better photos in shaky or low-light conditions.

The phone can also shoot 4K video, bringing it at par with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 which introduce that functionality back in October 2013.Design-wise the G Pro 2 retains the same design aesthetic as its little brother. Both phones are almost identical including the one button layout on the back of the device. The G Pro 2, however, comes with a textured removable back plate. It is unclear if international versions of the G Pro 2 will have removable batteries. Similar to Korean and international versions of the G2.

The G Pro 2 runs on Android 4.4 Kit Kat and is powered by a 2.26 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and 3GB of RAM. It is available in Korea in 16 and 32GB variants and in either titan (black), white and silver. Global availability has yet to be determined.

SPECS:

Processor: 2.26 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800

GPU: Qualcomm Technologies’ Adreno 330

Display: 5.9-inch Full HD IPS (1920 x 1080)

Memory: 3GB DDR3 RAM

Storage: 16GB/32GB expandable via microSD slot

Camera: Rear 13.0MP OIS+ / Front 2.1MP

Battery: 3,200mAh (removable)

Operating System: Android 4.4 KitKat

Size: 157.9 x 81.9 x 8.3mm

Weight: 172g

Network: LTE / HSPA+

Connectivity: Bluetooth / WiFi / NFC