LG G Flex available in Australia exclusively through Harvey Norman in early February

We know that the gargantuan, curved smartphone from LG, the LG G Flex, has started its roll-out outside of LG’s native Korea and it appears Down Under is its next target. In a press release today, LG announced that the LG G Flex will be available in Australia for exclusive sale through electronics retailer, Harvey Norman. The 32GB version of the device is already available for preorder now from Harvey Norman’s website and is quoted to become available in ‘early February’. And the price? Why, only a mere $988 AUD for the outright and unlocked phone.

I did actually manage to get a hands-on look at the LG G Flex at CES 2014 and I’ve got to say that the device grew on me. Despite its enormous 6-inch display footprint, the curvature did actually make the smartphone feel incredibly comfortable to hold, even more so than my almost equally large Samsung Galaxy Note 2. Throw in a Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB RAM, a 3,500mAh battery, and that self-healing technology,you get a pretty attractive package. But a package worth $988 AUD? I’m probably going to have to sleep on that, however, Harvey Norman is also offering the phone with Optus’ My Plans and adds a $200 Harvey Norman gift card sweetener if you sign up to a Optus My Plan with the G Flex during February.

I’m not exactly tempted, but let us know what you think. Anyone in Australia going to pick up the LG G Flex when it becomes available here?

Press Release

LG’S REMARKABLE ‘G FLEX’ TO LAUNCH IN AUSTRALIA

EXCLUSIVELY WITH HARVEY NORMAN  

LG’s First Curved Smartphone to Arrive in Australia in February

Sydney, 16^th January, 2013 — LG Electronics Australia (LG) today announced the local launch of the much anticipated ‘G Flex’, setting a new benchmark in the evolution of the smartphone. The latest device to join LG’s G Series, the ‘G Flex’ is the first curved screen smartphone to follow the contour of the face, offering totally new and innovative design with an exciting and completely new form factor.

The state-of-the-art, one of a kind handset offers advancements in smartphone technology with a 6-inch HD, Curved P-OLED display, advanced “Self-Healing” coating on the rear cover and impressive battery life. This is the first smartphone of its kind from LG, delivering what LG believes to be the future of smartphones.

The ‘G Flex’ will be available at Harvey Norman from February and will be available outright and unlocked or on a contract through a variety of Optus ‘My Plans’.  Additionally, during February all ‘G Flex’ handsets purchased and connected to an Optus ‘My Plan’ contract at Harvey Norman will receive a $200 Harvey Norman gift voucher.

“The ‘G Flex’ represents LG’s commitment to innovative design and breakthrough technology and we are extremely excited to launch the model in Australia exclusively with Harvey Norman” said Lambro Skropidis, General Manager Marketing for LG Electronics Australia. “The G Flex brings together ground-breaking design with intuitive functionality and hardware, and is testament to the huge progress LG is making in the smartphone industry. The handset has been well received in other markets and we anticipate that many in Australia will also be excited by this trend setting technology. ”

“We’re thrilled to be the exclusive retailer of the LG ‘G Flex’ in Australia” said Geoff Van Der Vegt, General Manager of Technology & Entertainment at Harvey Norman. “LG’s latest smartphone shows true innovation and we are always looking to deliver new and exciting products to our customers. We believe consumers will be truly amazed by everything the LG G Flex has to offer.”

Innovative Design

The LG G Flex has captivated early adopters as the first smartphone curved to the contour of the human face. The handset is sleek and flexible, delivering an exceptionally comfortable grip and fit, as well as extraordinary voice and sound quality. The curved design of the handset reduces the distance between the user’s mouth and the microphone, increasing the sound level compared to flat smartphones.

The LG G Flex also features ergonomics on the rear of the device first introduced with the LG G2. By placing all the buttons on the rear, the smartphone is completely devoid of buttons on the sides of the device allowing the user to control it with their index finger in a natural position. Furthermore, this is perfect for both left and right-handed users.

User-Centered Technologies

The LG G Flex incorporates a series of new, impressive and immersive technologies. Among these is the handsets inventive “Self-Healing” coating on the back cover of the device. The elastic coating has the ability to recover and “self-heal” from minor daily wear-and-tear scratches that a smartphone is likely to receive, keeping the G Flex looking good.

Users of the LG G Flex will gain a wide variety of new and engaging features including the ability to enjoy music in various formats – MP3, CD quality or 24 bit/192kHz Hi-Fi playback. Further feature favourites include KnockON, Guest Mode and Plug & Pop, all originally launched and positively received on the LG G2. Further exciting features for the LG G Flex include:

-       QTheatre providing users with quick access to photos, videos and YouTube simply from the lock screen. By touching the screen and dragging outward along the curved surface with two fingers, the three apps appear through drawn theatre curtains, thus creating an easy and accessible way to enter some of your favourite media applications.

-       Dual Window lets the user divide the wide 6-inch screen into two separate windows for effective multitasking.

-       Swing Lock screen can alter the image on the lock screen depending on the angle the G Flex is held.

-       Face Detection Indicator displays the LED on the Rear Key in green to confirm the status of face detection and focus.

-       Camera Timer flashes the Rear Key LED to indicate that the countdown has begun, perfect for group photos and selfies.

-       Urgent Call Alert flashes the LED on the Rear Key in red when several consecutive calls from the same person have gone unanswered.

Collaboration with LG partners

The development of the LG G Flex was only possible through the successful collaboration with sister companies LG Display and LG Chem. The 6-inch display is a Plastic OLED (P-OLED) that was developed and mass produced specifically for smartphones. The ultra-thin, ultra-light flexible P-OLED display and curved OLED panel are built on plastic substrates instead of glass, giving LG G Flex its unique shape and durability.

LG Chem developed the curved battery technology specifically for application in G Flex. The curved battery is designed with LG Chem’s patented Stack and Folding technology, which reduces the physical stress on the battery pack when in the curved form providing stability and performance. Despite its thin form the LG G Flex battery has a large capacity of 3,500mAh, providing the power to meet the demands of daily use.

The G Flex will be available from Harvey Norman via online presales from today and via stores from early February. The exclusive promotion to receive a $200 Harvey Norman gift voucher when purchasing the handset via all Optus ‘My Plans’ is available during the month of February.

Key Specifications:

Available: February 2014 (pre sales via online immediately)

Retail Partner: Exclusively with Harvey Norman

Presale Availability: Via the Harvey Norman website www.harveynorman.com.au

Pricing: RRP $999 outright and unlocked

Plans: Variety of Optus My Plans including – $60 monthly Plan with $12 per month MRO (Monthly repayment option)

Promotional offer: All purchases in February on an Optus My Plan through Harvey Norman will receive a $200 Harvey Norman gift voucher

Processor:

Operating System: Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2

Display: 6-inch HD (1280 x 720), Curved P-OLED (Real RGB)

Network: Recommended for use on the Optus Mobile Network – no compatibility with 3G networks for voice calls or date using the 850Mhz frequency band (Telstra or Vodafone)

Memory: 2GB LP DDR3 RAM / 32GB eMMc

Camera: Rear 13.0MP / Front 2.1MP

Battery: 3,500mAh (embedded)

Size: 160.5 x 81.6 x 7.9 – 8.7mm

Weight: 177g

Others: TDMB / Hi-Fi 24bit, 192kHz Playback

Colours: Titan Silver