LG AKA Smartphone Released

Companion Smartphone Lets You Express, Create and Make Your Own Fun

LG Electronics (LG) will begin the first overseas rollout of its fun and customizable AKA smartphone starting in Hong Kong next week followed by China, Taiwan, Singapore and Turkey. Originally designed for the domestic market, AKA was first introduced to Korean customers at the end of 2014, where it has seen healthy sales and positive customer feedback for its originality and sense of humor.

AKA is available in four different personas, from Eggy in yellow who falls frequently in love, the ever-so-impulsiveWooky in white, the soft-hearted and music-loving Soul in navy and Yo-Yo in pink who is always on a diet. The characters’ personalities are an integral part of each phone as they are woven into wallpapers, widgets and ringtones. In addition to each AKA’s interactive, animated eyes, owners can customize their phones with stickers (provided), markers or paint, for a true DIY experience. This customer-centric thinking helped AKA win an iF Design Award for its unconventional approach to smartphone design.

With a global audience in mind, LG tweaked the AKA lineup by adding an emotional UX element. Some of the additional features include customizable glasses and eyebrows for each pair of eyes. Another unique UX feature is the included Art Toy figurine, which can be digitized and integrated into the phone’s user experience. Snapping a photo of the accompanying figurine with AKA’s Snapshoot tool creates an animated 3D version of the figure that appears alongside selfies. Other camera features come straight from LG’s premium handsets and include Laser Auto Focus, Touch & Shoot and Gesture Shot.

To celebrate AKA’s overseas rollout, LG is collaborating with TUBA Entertainment, the creators of the popular Larvaanimated series, to produce a new series called Rotary Park. The first episode of Rotary Park will debut on March 20 on YouTube (www.youtube.com/user/TheRotarypark).

“AKA is the first smartphone that gives owners a blank canvas to express their own personalities via a customized user experience,” said Juno Cho, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “AKA is about being creative and never losing sight of the things that make us young and interesting. This is a whole new direction in smartphone UX and we’re excited about where it may take us.”

Key Specifications:

Chipset: 1.2GHz Quad-Core
Display: 5.0-inch HD IPS
Memory: 16GB / 1.5GB RAM / microSD slot
Camera: Rear 8.0MP Laser Auto Focus / Front 2.1MP
Battery: 2,610mAh (removable)
Operating System: Android 4.4 KitKat
Size: 138.7 x 71.9 x 9.9mm
Weight: 135.5g (without font slide cover) / 157g (with front slide cover)
Network: 4G LTE
Connectivity: Wi-Fi / Bluetooth 4.0 / NFC / A-GPS / USB 2.0
Color: White / Yellow / Navy / Pink
Other: Art Toy / Stickers

About LG Electronics, Inc.

LG Electronics, Inc. (KSE: 066570.KS) is a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances, employing 82,000 people working in 119 locations around the world. With 2014 global sales of USD 55.91 billion (KRW 59.04 trillion), LG comprises four business units ― Home Entertainment, Mobile Communications, Home Appliance & Air Solution, and Vehicle Components ― and is one of the world’s leading producers of flat panel TVs, mobile devices, air conditioners, washing machines and refrigerators. LG Electronics is a 2014 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year. For more news and information on LG Electronics, please visit www.LGnewsroom.com.

About LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company

LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company is a global leader and trend setter in the mobile and wearable industry with breakthrough technologies and innovative designs. By continually developing highly competitive core technologies in the areas of display, battery, camera optics and LTE technology, LG creates handsets and wearables that fit the lifestyles of a wide range of people all over the world. While helping to enhance the mobile user experience by incorporating unique, sophisticated designs and intuitive UX features, LG is also committed to guiding consumers into the era of convergence and Internet of Things, maximizing inter-device connectivity between a wide range of smartphones, tablets, wearables, home and portable electronics products. For more information, please visit www.LG.com.