LG Electronics has announced it will launch a beta of its Cloud service on Tuesday, allowing users to store photos, videos and other documents in the company's remote servers and access them anytime from their smartphone, PC, or smart TV. The unveiling comes hot on the heels of Sony's PlayMemories Online, launched last Wednesday, and beats Samsung to the punch in releasing their rumored S-Cloud service this week.
LG Cloud will come with 5GB of free storage and the ability to buy more for a fee – pricing hasn't been detailed yet. Additionally, those who own an LG branded smart TV or smartphone can receive 50GB of free storage for six months. To access the service, users must first download the associated app from Google Play on Android-based devices, the LG Smartworld store from LG smart TVs, or the LG Cloud website from Windows PCs.
The app automatically synchronizes what's on your smartphone or computer with LG's back end, allowing you to view it on other devices as well as on a dedicated LG Cloud website "almost instantaneously."
LG particularly touted the service's video streaming capabilities, claiming there is no need for codecs or converters. Everything is transcoded in real-time on the company's servers and pushed to whatever device you're currently using, appropriately compressed for the medium, with little waiting or lag time. It will also support 3D content, which is good news if you have a 3D smartphone or a 3D HDTV to watch that content in.
The beta opens in South Korea and the U.S. from May 1st, with a global rollout planned for next year.