LG ‘Knock’ feature coming to more devices in January
LG has announced that its Knock feature, previously known as KnockON, will become a standard feature in the company's L series II lineup.
The company will issue a global Maintenance Release software update in January for its current LG L series II smartphones, adding the Knock feature. LG has yet to mention which or how many smartphones will receive the new update, but it did point out that global availability and specific models to receive the upgrade will vary depending on region and carrier.
The Knock feature first made its debut on the company's current LG G2 flagship smartphone, serving as a convenient way to turn the smartphone on and off simply by tapping twice on the display. For the LG G2, this feature came particularly in handy since the device sports a new design, with the volume rocker and power button located on the back of the device.
The feature then made its way to the LG G Pad 8.3, followed by the G Flex curved-display smartphone, which features the same rear key concept of the LG G2. According to LG, the feature was very well-received by consumers, which prompted the company to develop a version for its best-selling L Series II in order to make Knock available to as many users as possible.
"Knock is distinctively an LG UX and a great example of what happens when you marry the latest in mobile technology with consumer-centric insights," Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics' Mobile Communications Company, touted in a press release on Sunday, Dec. 29.
"No one ever thought that a power button needed to be improved until our engineers wondered why they couldn't turn the entire screen into a power button."
The company's L series II smartphones include the LG Optimus L1 II Dual, the LG Optimus L7 II Dual, the LG Optimus L5 II Dual, the LG Optimus L3 II, and the LG Optimus L3 II Dual.
As the Knock proved to be so popular, it will come as a standard feature in LG's "key mobile devices." LG only mentions that a global Maintenance Release upgrade is scheduled to start in January 2014 to add Knock, but it doesn't offer a specific rollout date.