LG G3 Beat With Android 4.4 KitKat, Laser Autofocus Camera Launched

After being launched in China, LG G3's mid-tier variant, the G3 Beat has now been given global availability. The G3 Beat will be available initially in South Korea starting Friday, while the global roll-out will begin from Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries in the following weeks.

The South Korean giant has not revealed the price details of the LG G3 Beat but has noted it will be announced locally at the time of launch.

The company has further revealed that the LG G3 Beat will be available as the 'LG G3 s' in Europe and the CIS region. LG is touting the G3 Beat as a device that has been developed to address the low- to mid-tier segment of smartphone customers, while the handset comes with various goodies from the company's flagship, the G3.

The LG G3 Beat features a 5-inch IPS display offering 294ppi pixel density. The company has dropped the screen resolution from QHD (1440x2560 pixel) on LG G3 to the considerably lower HD resolution of 720x1280 pixels on the LG G3 Beat.

(Also see: LG G3 vs. LG G3 Beat)

The smartphone runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat much like the G3, and is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor clubbed with 1GB of RAM. It comes with 8GB of inbuilt storage with microSD card expansion and is backed by a 2540mAh battery.

The highlight of the G3 Beat is its 8-megapixel rear camera which comes with the Laser Autofocus feature seen on the G3, while there is a 1.3-megapixel front camera as well. Some of the preloaded software features on the G3 Beat from the flagship include Touch and Shoot, which allows a touch anywhere on the display to focus and shoot; Gesture Shot, which begins automatic three-second countdown before the picture is snapped by just a hand gesture; Smart Keyboard, and QuickMemo+, an overhauled note taking app.

Connectivity options on the LG G3 Beat include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPRS/ EDGE, A-GPS, GLONASS, NFC, Micro-USB, 3G and 4G LTE support. The phone measures 137.7x69.6x10.3mm and weighs 134 grams. It is available in Metallic Black, Silk White, and Shine Gold colour variants.

Notably, the G3 Beat features the same 'Floating Arc Design' as seen on the LG G3, featuring smooth curved sides and gradually tapered edges.

Commenting on the launch, Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company, said, "Smartphone manufacturers cannot ignore this growing segment of consumers who want the best balance of looks, features, performance and, of course, price. The LG G3 Beat represents our commitment to the mid-tier smartphone market that demands mature technology, proven branding, great innovation and attractive price, all in a single device."

Mobiles launched in July 2014