LG G2 Smartphone....

LG, as we knew it would, has announced its G2 smartphone so here's the details on its release date, price and specifications. Updated on 13/08/13.

At its launch event in New York, LG took the wraps off its latest effort in the competitive smartphone market. It describes the LG G2 as "the most ambitious phone in history".

See also: Samsung Galaxy S4 vs LG G2 comparison review.

Key features of the LG G2 are its edge-to-edge display, 'best-in-class' power capacity, optical image stabilisation and studio quality Hi-Fi sound. It's only physical buttons, called the Rear Key, is placed on the rear of the device. See also: LG G2 smartphone photos and spec leaked.

"Our definition of innovation today is technology that truly resonates with consumers," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Mobile. "We have always listened to and learned from consumers in pursuit of innovation. We took this research to new heights in developing LG G2, the most exciting and ambitious phone in our company’s history."

LG G2: Release date

LG G2 has said that the G2 will rolled out globally in more than 130 carriers over the next eight weeks. This will start in South Korea followed by North America, Europe and other key markets. Specific dates for market availability will vary by region and carrier.

UK mobile network operator Three has confirmed that it will sell the LG G2 from launch.

The Carphone Warehouse has listed the LG G2 and said it is expected to arrive in October.

LG G2: Price

There's no price for the LG G2 yet but going by the specifications it will be priced similarly to the Samsung Galaxy S4, iPhone 5, HTC One and Sony Xperia Z. We expect it to sell for at least £500 inc VAT on a SIM-free basis.

German retailer NotebooksBilliger has listed the LG G2 at €599 for the 16GB model.

UK retailer Clove has put the LG G2 up for pre-order with a price of £468.

LG G2: Specs

•    Processor: 2.26 GHz Quad-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Processor
•    Display: 5.2in Full HD IPS (1080 x 1920 pixels / 423 ppi)
•    Storage: 32 GB / 16 GB
•    Memory: 2GB LPDDR3 800 MHz RAM
•    Camera: Rear 13.0 Mp with OIS / Front 2.1 Mp
•    Battery: 3000mAh
•    Operating System: Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2
•    Size: 138.5 x 70.9 x 8.9 mm
•    Colors: Black / White
•    Audio: 24 bit/192 kHz playback

Practical UX features

•    Answer Me: Automatically answers the call after lowering the ringtone when the phone is raised to one's ear
•    Plug & Pop: Recommends options or related features to choose from when the earphone or USB cable is detected
•    Text Link: Information embedded in text messages can be selected and easily saved in memo or calendar and searched on a map or the internet
•    QuickRemote: Not only can LG G2 be used to remotely control popular home entertainment devices, it can also learn from conventional remote controls and be customised to operate multiple devices with flexible layouts and keys
•    Slide Aside: Enables easier multitasking by simply “sliding” open apps off to the side using a three-finger swipe
•    Guest Mode: Protects owner’s privacy by displaying only pre-selected apps when guests access the phone with a secondary unlock pattern