Both Verizon and AT&T have announced the LG G Vista, a mid-range, large-screen smartphone closely related to LG’s flagship G3. The G Vista appears to be very similar to the G3, but while the shape looks identical, the screen is actually slightly larger. It measures 5.7-inches, but sadly doesn’t come with the G3’s incredible Quad HD, 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution.
There’s some confusion over the G Vista’s pixel count, with Verizon mentioning both HD and qHD resolutions. The former would be an acceptable 1280 x 720, while the latter a less desirable 960 x 540. Thankfully, Verizon seems to have opted for the 720p panel.
Related: LG posts record breaking smartphone sales, promises more new hardware later this year
Moving on to the processor, the G Vista has a 1.2GHz quad-core chip, along with 1.5GB of RAM, plus a mere 8GB of internal storage space. The good news is a MicroSD card slot will let you boost this by up to 64GB. On the back of the phone you’ll see LG’s redesigned rear controls, consisting of the power button surrounded by the volume up and down key, plus the lens to an 8-megapixel camera.
Although it doesn’t seem to be mentioned in Verizon’s promo material, the laser-autofocus sensor looks to be mounted alongside it, with an LED flash on the opposite side. LG has installed Android 4.4.2 KitKat on the G Vista, then covered it with the improved user interface which debuted on the G3. This includes special software features such as a gesture control for taking selfies, Knock Code security, and a dual-window multitasking mode. The G Vista will connect to Verizon’s 4G LTE network, and the phone has a 3200mAh battery to keep it up and running.
Verizon has the G Vista on sale right now, and if you don’t want a contract it’ll cost you $400. If you sign-up for two years, then you’ll spend just $100, or $20 per month on Verizon Edge.
Meanwhile, AT&T’s version of the G Vista is an exact mirror of its Verizon compatriot, as far as specifications are concerned. However, AT&T decided to spice things up a bit by making the LG G Pad 7.0 LTE available for $1 if you purchase the G Vista.
Related: Great deal: AT&T will give you the LG G Pad 7.0 for $1 if you buy a G3
The AT&T G Vista will be available on August 22 for $50 on-contract and $355 off-contract, undercutting the off-contract Verizon variant by $45. If you’re a fan of AT&T Next, the G Vista can be had for $14.80 per month on Next 18 or $17.75 per month on Next 12.
CONTINUE TO PAGE 2 TO READ ALL THE RUMORS LEADING TO THE G VISTA’S ARRIVAL
A leak has indicated Verizon may have a new LG smartphone waiting in the wings. It’s known as the LG G Vista, and should be thought of as the LG G3, just without the amazing Quad HD screen and super fast processor. If you’re wondering why you’d buy it, don’t worry, it’s still an interesting big-screen device.
The G Vista may take on the look of the G3, but the specs say it’s is a mid-range smartphone/tablet hybrid. The screen could measure 5.7-inches, and boast a 720p resolution, while the processor may be a trusty quad-core Snapdragon 400 with 1GB of RAM. Not quite up to the G3’s standard, but still perfectly acceptable.
In the picture leaked by @evleaks, we can see a large smartphone with a G3-like design. On the rear is the same set of redesigned controls – volume up and down, plus a sleep/wake key – along with a single LED flash in place of the G3’s dual-LED unit. More interestingly, from the sensor on the other side of the camera lens, it looks like the G Vista will have the G3’s laser autofocus feature too.
The camera itself may take a step down to 8-megapixels, and around the front, a 1.3-megapixel camera is likely. LG doesn’t go in for lots of pixels on its front cameras, preferring to use specially calibrated lenses and software, so just because this sounds low, doesn’t mean it won’t take great selfies.
The rear of the phone also shows the G Vista will connect to Verizon’s 4G LTE network, but the speaker at the base of the back plate is slightly different to the G3’s, making us question whether the incredibly loud 1w setup from the G3 will be fitted or not. Other rumored features include a big 3200mAh battery and 8GB of storage space, with the option of adding in a MicroSD card.
Verizon hasn’t made the G Vista official yet, but with a possible press image now sighted, it may not be long until it does.
