In the smartphone market, everybody knows this week is Samsung's time to shine. The Samsung Galaxy S3, launched on May 3 in London, is the center of attention, hogging the entire mobile spotlight. In such circumstances, it is rather difficult for another smartphone to make some waves, but LG decided to set sail against the storm and announce its own device: the Optimus LTE2.

True HD IPS Display

After Samsung and Pantech, LG is the third major Korean electronics manufacturer to introduce a flagship phone this week. LG did not provide a lot of specs for its LG Optimus LTE2, but it is heavily touting the smartphone's True HD IPS display. LG did not mention the screen's resolution or size, but it will likely be one of the most impressive mobile panels available today.

Longer Battery Life

The LG Optimus LTE2 will come with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich installed out of the box, and will offer longer battery life - about 40 percent longer than similar smartphones, said LG. The battery life is also 40 percent longer compared to the original Optimus LTE, more commonly known as the LG Nitro HD. According to the company, the longer battery life is due to a combination of a processing chip with integrated LTE (most likely a Snapdragon S4 MSM8960) and a 2,150mAh battery. In addition, the smartphone has an integrated inductive charging coil.

2GB of RAM

The most impressive feature, however, is 2GB of RAM, making the LG Optimus LTE2 the first smartphone to boast such specs. According to LG, the extra memory should ensure high stability, even if a user runs multiple applications simultaneously. On the other hand, as impressive as 2GB of RAM may sound, it seems a bit of an overkill for a phone. There are many other Android devices capable of running multiple apps simultaneously even with less RAM.

Lastly, the software side includes a five-shot burst function for the camera, as well as voice recognition for taking photos. Just say "Kimchi" to take a shot.

For now, the only market confirmed for the LG Optimus LTE 2 smartphone is South Korea, where LG has its headquarters. The company has already secured deals with three Korean carriers, and is due to arrive sometime in mid-May. LG has not yet provided pricing details or other additional country availability.

(reported by Alexandra Burlacu, edited by Dave Clark)