LG confirms details of hi-res audio playback on G2 phone

LG's new flagship smartphone, the G2, launched to great fanfare at the start of the month, and now we have some more details on one of the stand-out features: hi-res audio support.

The LG G2 is billed as the first smartphone to support hi-res 24-bit/192kHz music files, with LG suggesting it had to get its hands dirty with the framework of the Android OS to make it happen.

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LG has now confirmed that the G2 has the Qualcomm WCD9320 audio chipsets and will deliver 24/192 audio from its stock audio player when anything is connected via the headphone output, with a "Hi-Fi" icon lighting up on the display.

A statement to whathifi.com from LG reads: "The G2 has Qualcomm WCD9320 audio chipsets which support up to 24-bit/192kHz.

"When earphones & headsets are inserted, true 24-bit audio is played with the Hi-Fi icon displayed.

"But when connecting to other devices (e.g. speakers) through Bluetooth & USB, the audio is down-sampled."

So you will get untouched hi-res audio to your headphones or system via the line out. It's clear LG is making a big play for smartphone sound quality with its latest phone – we look forward to finding out whether it has paid off with better performance.

It's worth noting that the same chip is also rumoured to be inside the forthcoming super-size "phablet" from Sony, the Xperia Z Ultra.

The LG G Pad tablet is rumoured to be set for release at IFA next month, so it remains to be seen whether that will be the first hi-res audio tablet.

The LG G2 is due out later this year and we're hopeful of getting a review sample in the next few weeks.

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by Joe Cox

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Joe Cox
Content Director

Joe is Content Director for T3 and What Hi-Fi?, having previously been the Global Editor-in-Chief of What Hi-Fi?. He has worked on What Hi-Fi? across the print magazine and website for more than 15 years, writing news, reviews and features on everything from turntables to TVs, headphones to hi-fi separates. He has covered product launch events across the world, from Apple to Technics, Sony and Samsung; reported from CES, the Bristol Show, and Munich High End for many years; and written for sites such as the BBC, Stuff, and the Guardian. In his spare time, he enjoys expanding his vinyl collection and cycling (not at the same time).