LG Electronics unveiled its latest flagship smartphone G6 equipped with a larger display and Google’s machine-learning software, stealing the spotlight on the eve of the Mobile World Congress that kicks off in Barcelona on Monday.

The archrival of South Korea’s top smartphone maker strategically launched its newest model, taking advantage of the postponed release of Samsung’s Galaxy S8 series.

LG’s latest smartphone was released at Sant Jordi Club in the southern part of the city, with about 1,500 IT industry figures and global press members attending the event.

In introducing the new device, LG Electronics Vice Chairman Jo Seong-jin expressed confidence, calling the smartphone business his highest priority. “Our mobile business serves as an essential link to other vital parts of the Industry 4.0 era. I will make it my highest priority to turn our mobile  business around,” he said.

An immersive display and artificial intelligence-based user interface are the major features of the G6.

The tech giant has adopted a 5.7-inch (14.5-centimeter) 18:9 ratio display, which it called a “Full Vision.” 

The ratio displays a greater amount of information at once on the screen and enhances immersion in video content. It is the first smartphone in the world to have the 18:9 ratio display, the company said. 

The display, exclusively developed by LG Display, has the highest pixel density among all LG smartphones, at 564 pixels per inch. The G6 is also the first smartphone to offer high dynamic range-based Dolby Vision and HDR10.

The G6’s display is larger than its predecessor, but it is designed to be held in one hand easily.

The 7.9-milimeter thick G6 smartphone, which is 71.9 mm in length and 148.9 mm in height, was certified as having the “optimal grip” by a research team led by Andris Freivalds, an ergonomics professor at Pennsylvania State University.

“As the world’s first smartphone with the 18:9 ratio display, the G6 will enable users to have a new level of visual experience with high convenience offered by the optimal, one-hand grip,” said Cho Jun-ho, president of the mobile communications division at LG Electronics. 

For user convenience, LG chose Google Assistant to compete with Apple’s Siri and Samsung’s Bixby.

The Google AI program will allow users to operate the G6 through voice commands, even when the screen is turned off.

For users in the Korean market, LG Pay software has been installed in the G6. The pay service will be launched in June.

The G6 also has 13-megapixel dual cameras on its rear side to capture objects at a wider angle and backgrounds that are farther away with high definition.  

LG kept its design minimal by halving the width of the bezel on its front and locating a camera, sensor and speaker all at the top. A fingerprint sensor-based power button is located at the back.

The company conducted more than 20 safety-related tests to enasure the quality of the battery in the latest model. With a heat pipe inside the device, the G6 is built to emit internal heat, the company said. The G6 comes in three colors: Astro black, Ice platinum and Mystic white. 

By Shin Ji-hye (shinjh@heraldcorp.com) in Barcelona and Song Su-hyun (song@heraldcorp.com) in Seoul