New Delhi: Samsung and Apple are obviously the two dominating forces in the smartphone arena at work on the world stage, but LG is not too far behind as it is the third biggest smartphone maker in the world. The Korean handset maker recently took the wraps off its latest effort in the highly competitive smartphone market, the G2, which it describes as "the most ambitious phone in history". In terms of specs, the LG G2 seems to be king of the hill for the moment. It has the fastest quad-core processor, 'best-in-class' power capacity, and highest resolution HD screen of all the high-end devices announced so far, optical image stabilisation and studio quality Hi-Fi sound. The G2 sports a nearly 5.2-inch edge-to-edge display and a 13 MP rear-facing camera. On the other hand, the Galaxy S4 is the latest and greatest flagship out of Korea. It would be better to say that the success of Galaxy series has helped Google's Android operating system gain the sales and market share it currently has. A recent report suggests that Samsung has sold over 20 million Galaxy S4 units worldwide since the device's launch. That's roughly 1.7 times faster than sales of the Galaxy S3 (that's global channel sales, not sales to consumers) at the same point in that device's life cycle. Keen to capitalise on the Galaxy series, the Korean company has expanded its Galaxy series with spin-off devices, including the Galaxy S4 Mini, Galaxy S4 Zoom and Galaxy S4 Active. In India, Samsung is selling the Galaxy S4 powered by Exynos 5 Octa, an 8-core processor. The US and several other markets, especially those with 4G availability, have got the Galaxy S4 that is powered by Qualcomm's S600 chip. The Galaxy S4 runs the latest 4.2 version of Android, overlain with Samsung's TouchWiz user interface. In addition, the S4 comes with a host of features including gesture controls and proximity features.Let us do a detailed comparison of these smartphones and find out which one offers more juice to customers. SizeThanks to its larger screen, the LG G2 is slightly bigger than the Galaxy S4. The G2 is, however, 13 percent thicker. The phone is just 1mm wider than the Galaxy S4, thanks to the razor-thin bezel areas that sit to the left and right of the display. Winner: S4WeightThe S4 weighs 10 per cent less than the G2. Winner: S4BuildBoth G2 and S4 have pretty similar designs. They have glass fronts and plastic rears, and use visual textures on their backplates while still keeping the feel of smooth glossy plastic. While the S4 has a physical Home button, there are no front buttons on the LG G2 at all. But the real story here is the G2's button placement. The only physical buttons on the phone sit on the back, just below the camera. These buttons are of power, volume and camera shutter – a move that could potentially be handy in real-world use.Winner: DrawScreen and displayGalaxy S4 – 5-inch 1080p Super AMOLEDG2 - 5.2-inch 1080p IPS The G2 comes with a massive 5.2-inch, 1080p IPS LCD display (with 423ppi density) that runs edge-to-edge against the bezel. You can use the display even with gloves on, and its softly rounded curves provide a comfortable grip. The size of the display makes it a good choice for media and entertainment on the move. From texts to graphics, the smartphone delivers sharp details and bright colours on the handset. Overall, the LG G2's IPS panel has a much cooler and more natural look. With 1080p display becoming the norm in most high-end smartphones, Samsung also offers the S4 with its 5-inch, 1080p Super AMOLED screen. The S4 screen is a PenTile display, which means it doesn't have as many subpixels as an LCD, instead letting pixels "share" subpixels for displaying some content so as not to lose apparent resolution. The screen on the Galaxy S4 uses OLED technology instead of the more common LCD tech found on the iPhone 5 and most other phones. Although OLEDs typically aren't as bright as LCDs, tests found the GS4 to perform well in high ambient lighting, 25 per cent brighter than the GSIII.In general, both screens are great, but if you are looking for good image quality then you can go for LG G2.Winner: LG G2Processor and RAMGalaxy S4 – Qualcomm APQ8064T Snapdragon 600 1.9GHz, 2GB RAM, Adreno 320G2 – Qualcomm MSM8974 Snapdragon 800 2.26GHz, 2GB RAM, Adreno 330Qualcomm's powerful Snapdragon 800 chipset powers the G2 with its 2.26 GHz quad-core Krait 400 processor and Adreno 330 GPU. The handset is quick, responsive and power efficient, specially thanks to its GRAM technology and its 2 GB RAM. The G2 is the first smartphone to ever feature such technology which makes it an ideal mobile gaming companion. The G2 uses an Adreno 330 GPU, while the Galaxy S4 an Adreno 320 GPU. The newer version can output in 4K and is twice as powerful as the Adreno 320, according to its maker.On the other hand, the S4 comes with the quad-core 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600, backed by 2GB of RAM, which is fast and power-efficient. Based from initial observations of customers and analysts, G2 is a speed demon and way ahead of the processing output delivered by S4. The G2 makes it easier to navigate through the menu and makes apps usage a breeze. Winner: LG G2CameraGalaxy S4 – 13-megapixel main sensor, OIS, LED flash, 2MP front cameraG2 – 13-megapixel main sensor, OIS, LED flash, 2.1MP front camera On the camera front, the LG G2 gives tough competition to the S4. The G2 has the first 13-megapixel phone camera to use optical image stabilisation, which is good for producing in-focus shots in lower-lighting conditions. The G2' rear camera is a joy to use due to quickness and prompt shutter speeds. The 5.2-inch display and image playback makes it an enjoyable experience. On the front the 2.1-inch secondary camera is a welcome inclusion but has the same issues like many forward-facing smartphone cameras.However, in good lighting, both the phones deliver images of comparable quality. Winner: LG G2BatteryLG G2 comes with an impressive 3,000mAh battery. On the other hand, the Galaxy S4 does also well with a 2,600mAh battery based on a moderately heavy usage pattern that included plenty of mobile web usage. Winner: LG G2Software featuresG2 – Android 4.2 with UX interfaceGalaxy S4 – Android 4.2 with TouchWiz interfaceLike the Galaxy S4, the G2 ships with Android 4.2.2. On top of your common stock of Google apps, you'll also get some interesting UI and gesture controls. In terms of approach, LG UX interface and Samsung's TouchWiz are pretty similar. The G2 comes with some interesting features like: Slide Aside: It lets you pull up and access the three most recently opened apps. Clip Tray: It saves chunks of text to use at a later time. KnockOn: To wake up the G2 from sleep mode, simply double-tap its touch screen. To lock it and put it back to sleep, tap the display again. Camera Launch: Long-pressing the volume-down button on the back will launch the camera, while holding the volume-up key opens LG's note-taking app, QuickMemo. Answer Me: It automatically lowers the ringer volume of an incoming call if it senses the handset is being picked up, and it'll also answer the call when you hold the phone against your face. QuickRemote: It lets you use your G2 as a remote for other devices like TVs via an IR blaster on the top edge. Guest Mode: It is a privacy protection setting that launches when a guest unlocks your phone by drawing a different pattern than your own. With it you'll be able to lock down sensitive apps and other areas of the phone so you won't fear software damage when handing the G2 over to energetic toddlers. On the other hand, S4 comes with the following features:Dual shot: It allows you to use the front camera to superimpose you're your stamp-size photo on any scene you are clicking with the main camera.Sound and shot: It captures up to 9-second of sound after taking an image.Group Play: Samsung Galaxy S4 owners can share music and games along with photos and documents, and the group leader's device acts as the Wi-Fi access point connecting all the other devices together.S Translator: Speak to Galaxy S4 in Spanish and it will translate it into English.Watch On: Allows a user to control a TV with the Galaxy S4. Smart Pause: This function pauses the video playback when a user is looking away from the device.Winner: G2StorageThe G2 is available in 16 GB and 32 GB versions while the S4 comes with 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB versions along with an option of microSD slot.Winner: S4WirelessBoth phones ride speedy LTE networks. The G2 supports LTE-Advanced and Samsung would also be rolling out an LTE-Advanced version of the GS4.Winner: DrawInfraredBoth phones have infrared capabilities, mostly for remote control functionality. Winner: DrawNFCBoth phones also have NFC chips. Verdict:On first impression, the G2 is a huge step forward in comparison with other smartphone manufacturers like S4. Undoubtedly, the G2 is the best smartphone ever made. . Its 5.2-inch screen is simply stunning and the powerful specs beneath the hood make it future proof for a long time to come. The decision to put the volume rocker and power button just below the rear camera rather than the edge of the phone comes as a welcome addition and would surely make the handheld experience a little less awkward on such a large phone. If LG delivers the device at a right price then it has a potential hit on its hands.
