LG G3 Beat goes official in China, purportedly the mini variant of the LG G3

BY Abhijeet Mishra

Published 30 Jun 2014

LG G3 Beat goes official in China, purportedly the mini variant of the LG G3

With the LG G3 said to be flying off the shelves in South Korea, it is pretty much a given that LG will want to capitalize on the success of its latest flagship by launching a mini variant. Details of an LG G3 mini have already leaked online earlier this year, but the latest development suggests the G3 mini won’t be as mini as tradition would dictate.

LG has introduced the LG G3 Beat as an exclusive for Chinese carrier China Telecom, and it is being said that the G3 Beat is the G3 mini for global markets. However, the 5-inch display on the G3 Beat is an indication that the phone might not be as small as proponents of mini devices would like, though it isn’t exactly surprising considering the 5.5-inch display on the LG G3 is considerably bigger than flagship devices from the competition.

The QHD display resolution has naturally been downgraded, with the screen now a 720p unit. Other specs include a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 processor, 2GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel rear camera with the laser autofocus sensor from the G3, LTE connectivity, 16GB of inbuilt storage and a microSD slot, and a 2,540 mAh battery. The phone runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat, though it’s unclear just how many software features it borrows from its flagship sibling.

The LG G3 Beat is expected to retail for 2,500 RMB (around $400) in China, though a launch date is currently unknown. It also remains to be seen if LG will bring the exact same device as the G3 mini to other markets, though with the LG G3 just beginning to hit retail on a global scale, it will probably be a while before we find out.