LG Electronics announced G3 Beat, a mid-tier sibling to its recently announced G3 flagship, which will also be known as G3s in some markets.

The company appears to be following a similar path to Samsung with its flagship Galaxy S device line, where the flagship is accompanied by a number of siblings offering differentiated product sets.

LG said that it offers a “similar premium user experience” to the high-tier device, “but in a more compact package dominated by a 5.0-inch thin-bezel display, setting it a class above other similarly priced mid-tier devices”.

“More compact” is, of course, a relative term, as the 5.0-inch display means it is still hardly svelte.

Features of the flagship carried-over include the Laser auto focus technology, “Touch & Shoot” image capture, “gesture shot” camera launch, and smart keyboard.

The device has a 5-inch 720 HD display, an 8MP main and 1.3MP front camera. It is powered by a 1.2GHz quadcore Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, has 8GB of onboard storage with MicroSD expansion slot, and 2,540mAh removable battery.

This means that its specs are someway below those of G3.

The Android 4.4.2 device also includes LTE connectivity and will be available in black, white and gold.

“The LG G3 Beat represents our commitment to the mid-tier smartphone market that demands mature technology, proven branding, great innovation and attractive price, all in a single device,” said Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG’s mobile unit.

G3 Beat will make its debut on 18 July in South Korea, with a global rollout starting from Europe and CIS in the weeks that follow. Pricing will be announced locally.