LG’s G3 smartphone has been getting great press and rave reviews for a while now — we gave it 4.5 stars last month. The only issue has been its availability, or lack thereof, in Australia.
But we’re finally getting some tiny titbits of info trickling in from the Aussie telcos about the G3. Remember that the official RRP from LG is still listed as AU$799 on the website, although LG has not confirmed any official availability dates.
Optus
Optus has been first off the bat with defined pricing and timing. You’ll be able to get the G3 in store from Optus from August 4, with an outright price of AU$696.
It’s also available through the AU$60 My Plan Plus with an additional $5 handset repayment charge on the 24 month contract — that’s a minimum cost of AU$1,560 for the two years. That plan comes with 2GB of data and unlimited calls and SMS.
You can pre-order the G3 online from today until August 3. The first 100 pre-orders get a free LG G Pad 8.3 tablet valued at AU$399. Optus is also offering a wireless charging dock with AU$69 with any G3 pre-orders as well as any purchases made after August 3.
Telstra
Telstra has confirmed that it will sell the G3 for AU$696 from August 5. The G3 is also available via the AU$70 Mobile Accelerate Plan, with AU$7 of monthly handset repayments. That includes 1.5 GB of data and the minimum cost over 24 months is AU$1849.
The G3 will be available for pre-order from July 29.
Additionally, LG, has said that Telstra will offer an LG G Watch for the first 1,000 sales of the G3 after it goes officially on sale on August 5.
Update, July 23 12.10pm AEST: Added information from LG about Telstra offer.
Update, July 23 1.45pm AEST: Added information from Telstra about pricing and plans.
Vodafone
Update, July 23 9.30 a.m. AEST: Vodafone is taking preorders for the G3 from today both in store and online.
On the AU$70 Red plan there are no handset repayment fees and you’ll get infinite calls and text plus 3GB of data. Over the two years of the plan, minimum cost is AU$1680. Additionally, the first 1,000 preorders will get the LG G Watch as a bonus.
Those are the only current details — nothing at all from Virgin at the time of writing. But with Optus sending out its information today, we’re expecting the other telcos to follow suit in short order. We’ll be updating this story as that pricing comes to hand.