LG's first G Flex smartphone was more or less a public experiment. Its self-healing capabilities and the fact that it was curved were neat but shortcomings like a low-resolution screen and poor-quality camera meant that enthusiasts never really took it seriously.
The company hasn't given up on the concept, however, and has returned with the G Flex 2 which improves on the original in virtually every aspect.
The G Flex 2 will ship with a slightly smaller 5.5-inch display with a resolution that's been bumped up to 1080p spec. Inside is Qualcomm's new octa-core Snapdragon 810 chip ticking along at 2.0GHz that is mated with 2GB of RAM. Storage options include your choice of 16GB or 32GB of internal flash, plus there is a microSD card slot should your needs increase or you want to quickly transfer data.
Borrowing from the LG G3, the 13-megapixel camera on the G Flex 2 will include laser auto focus and OIS+ as well as a dual-LED flash. A 2.1-mexapixel shooter can be found up front for selfies and video calls.
The self-healing back cover has returned albeit with some improvements. Where it used to take about three minutes to heal on the original, the G Flex 2 can pull off the same feat in around 10 seconds at room temperature. Now if someone could just come up with self-healing glass, we'd be in business.
The LG G Flex 2 will be available starting later this month in South Korea in silver and red followed by a global rollout shortly thereafter. No word yet on how much it'll cost but we do know that AT&T and Sprint have already committed to carrying the handset in the US.