LG's Mini View shrinks things down for better one-handed use

Sometimes a big phone is just too big — LG's Mini View scales it down

So you bought a giant phone. In the case of the LG G Pro 2, you've bought yourself a 5.9-inch phone. That's a whole lot of phone. And at times it might be too much, leaving you longing for simpler days, when you were able to use your phone with one hand. 

(We'll save for another time the idea that perhaps you should have bought a smaller device.)

LG's got your covered with the G Pro 2. With a simple swipe across the on-screen buttons you can enable Mini View, which shrinks things down to a more manageable size.

And that's just the beginning, really. Mini View has some flexibility to it.

Using Mini View on the LG G Pro 2

Turning on Mini View is a simple matter — just swipe across the on-screen buttons to activate. If you swipe to the right, the window will appear on the right-hand edge of the G Pro 2. Swipe to the left, and the window will be on the left. 

Note the triangle in on the top corners of the window. Tap and drag it and you'll change the size of the Mini View window. By default, it starts out at about a 3.75-inch diagonal — roughly the size of a display in early 2010. You can scale the Mini View window up to about 5 inches — roughly the size of a high-end smartphone today. 

And you thought the iPhone display was small? LG's Mini View takes things down even more.

It's worth noting that LG's not the first with this feature — Samsung tucked it into the Galaxy Note 3. But LG's Mini View is enabled by default. They use different gestures, too, due in part to the Note 3 not having on-screen buttons. On the Note 3, you do a sort of quick in-out move from the edge of the display. 

One way or another, though, it's a cool little feature on a big, big phone.

For more on the G Pro 2, see:

  • LG G Pro 2 preview — even bigger, even better
  • How to use Knock Code on the LG G Pro 2

LG G Pro 2 Mini View

Phil Nickinson
57 Comments
  • So are we just pretending now that LG hasn't copied every single Galaxy feature that Samsung has put out? The icons in the skin and the widgets are even the same for goodness sake.
  • Why does it matter? Cool features are cool features. BaAAH
  • And Samsung has never copied any other oem... Right keep telling yourself that. Posted via Android Central App
  • Not like LG is doing
    -------------------------------------------
    You really should see the crap I don't post. Sorry if honesty offends you
  • Your memory is short. And dead wrong.
  • You're the last person that should be calling anyone dead wrong JHB. Posted via Android Central App
  • It's cool that LG is slavishly copying Samsung, but it's lame that people are constantly giving Samsung crap for modifying Android while LG does the SAME EXACT THING. It's ridiculous. LG isnt even trying, yet every post we hear about how the G2 is so much bettter than Samsung devices when LG is doing everything they can to be Samsung.
  • To be fair, I give crap to both Samsung and LG for what they've done to Android. HTC, too.
  • At least i don't have any lag on my LG G2 and it runs very fast. Can't say the same for my previous Note 3.
  • THIS! Posted via Android Central App
  • Clearly you weren't using it properly or you had a bad unit cause I've never had lag on a Samsung device. Posted via Android Central App
  • reaally?? even i have to admit lag occurred frequently on my galaxy s2 s3 and s4. The two devices with least lag i owned are the htc one and iphone 5
  • Clearly you ignored the lag on the note 3 in the video.
  • Never had lag on a Samsung device. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Posted via Android Central App
  • They should just merge already
  • Right? But then SSung would have all the power. -------------------------------------------------------
    Sent from inside a cave. Yes, T-Mobile covers caves. N5
  • Hope they licensed it. One of these days LG will be too blatant and get their asses handed to them. This one is blatant -------------------------------------------
    You really should see the crap I don't post. Sorry if honesty offends you
  • This one existed before Samsung and LG put it in phones.
  • Yup. It's called "Windows" I believe...:P
  • You all have short memory. Try the Xerox Alto.
  • My note 3 does this. Posted via Android Central App
  • The LG G Pro 2 have incrementally better specs. It's 0.2" bigger screen, good for e-p*nis claims.
  • Lol Posted from my "Gift from God" Note 3, my "God-Given" iPad Mini 2, or my "Risen" Samsung Chromebook.
  • Nice
  • True Posted via Android Central App
    VZW Moto X
  • I love how people complain about companies copying each other. Than they complain when companies sue each other and say they should just share tech and features. Pick a side already.
  • This, i don't care who copies who. I'm glad these companies share technology. LG got this one right. I don't understand why Samsung mad e their background blue instead of black
  • +1 on the companies "imitating" each other. It means more competition in the market, and that's good for consumers. Plus, I think the method LG is using to trigger the mini view is more efficient than how it's done on the Note 3. I've found the Note 3 motion can result in "accidental" triggers when playing games like Scramble with Friends.
  • Who cares Samsung makes the better use of the larger screens period, Samsung rules em all period and they will never be beaten period lol ok think that is enough.
    Being serious yes LG blatantly copied Samsung but it's a handy feature for larger screens so why not adopt it.
    Posted via Android Central App
  • They need to use this is landscape mode and have 2 side by side Windows that are not 2 windowed apps, but 2 windowed full ui's. BaAAH
  • Good lord it really does look like a tablet next to the apple product. Mike
  • Well, it's much closer in size to a Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire than it is to the iPhone.
  • Smart Posted via Android Central App
  • Personally I think it defeats the purpose of buying a large screen. Make up your mind.
  • Exactly. Posted via Android Central App
  • This exactly!!!!! Thank you!
  • Now people can have it both ways. They can complain about how small the iPhone screen is AND how big it is with just one swipe! Posted via my Shnexus 5
  • Once again, another feature you could have had 5 months ago. Note 3 is still the king of large screen phones. Posted using my Galaxy Note 3 via Android Central App
  • Huh. I honestly didn't even know that Samsung had this feature.
  • This. I honestly thought this was homebrewed by LG. I didn't know it was a Samsung feature, because I missed that article when it was posted. Posted from my "Gift from God" Note 3, my "God-Given" iPad Mini 2, or my "Risen" Samsung Chromebook.
  • Hahaha. I see what you did there. Nicely done. Posted using my Galaxy Note 3 via Android Central App
  • =) Posted from my "Gift from God" Note 3, my "God-Given" iPad Mini 2, or my "Risen" Samsung Chromebook.
  • ... And we learn who actually reads the post, and who screams "Note 3!" :/ Posted via Android Central App
  • My note 3 posted that 5 months before your post. BaAAH
  • Here's what LG and Samsung BOTH DON'T GET.
    Nobody wants a smaller version of their screen when they're buying a phone this big. This is what they SHOULD do.
    Keep the actual "screen" the same size but minimize just the Keyboard. This makes one handed use much easier and effective on these 5.6 and up screen sizes. Why in the world would any want an iphone size screen on their Note or G Pro? Minimize the actual part that makes one handed use effective and not the entire thing.
  • It's unbelievable how LG started, copying Samsung down to a hair - software and casing design. Now, that they finally set apart a bit with G2 they can call themselves "original" brand.
    Sorry, but if don't see it this way, you are ignorant.
    The good thing is that LG really grew big and strong, that I would buy their G2 over S anything anytime - not to mention G3 that is still to come. Posted via Android Central App
    VZW Moto X
  • When are westerners ever gonna calm down and realize this is common eastern / Korean culture at work. These two are not American based companies. They are based in South Korea and do a pretty amazing job of bringing products to all parts of the world that people love and use. LG is pretty smart IMO to mirror Android's most successful licensee. Remember, they are in busine$$ to make money too.
    LG is actually doing a better job than Sammy now in the shrinking bezel war. Copying the one handed feature on the Note 3 is a no brainer. I use it often on my N3. Very useful for a big screen device.
    I hope Apple, HTC, and LG release S-pen knockoffs soon too. I'm a consumer who absolutely loves his Samsung Note 3. I want better stuff from everybody that leapfrogs what I already have.
  • Western companies do this, too. All the people screaming "copying!" are just parroting the line because they see other people saying it online. The truth is that all companies "copy" each other. There are whole companies who's sole purpose is to help them do it. It's called market research. These people complaining about it have no idea how business works, or the positive benefits of competition for the consumer.
  • I've used this feature several times on my Note 3. Quite useful and really a nice feature.
    But, since its not stock Android, I can't like it. Therefore its bloat.
  • I get the whole "war on bloat" thing, but this statement is taking it too far. Not all "added features" qualify as bloat. Personally, I don't *want* every OEM to release *every* phone with pure AOSP. Think about all the great features that you would lose out on: Dynamic Notifications (Moto X)
    Knock On (LG)
    Smart Stay (I actually use this one a lot)
    Swipe Away Notifications (You can thank CyanogenMOD for that one) I'm not going to waste time by posting every feature that somebody other than Google came up with. You get the idea, I hope. We *should* complain about "bloat" apps and such on these phones, but let's not classify every feature added on to AOSP "bloat" and summarily decide that we "hate it" as such. That's just taking the anti-bloat argument to a completely silly place.
  • LG did not copy this they had before the note 3 on the original optimus g pro, eventhough it was limited to the dialing keypad, for texting and pin code on the lock screen.
  • "Copy this, copy that." People are never satisfied. One company does something, another does the same or "one ups" them and they are wrong. We all should have just stayed with the basic cellphone model. They all did the SAME EXACT things. Android is OPEN, and people are complaing what Samsung/LG/HTC/whoever has done to Android. Well if you don't like their product because they "copied" something, then your wrong. Base your decision on liking the product on their design, customer/device loyalty for updates and features they include on their device. If you say you like AOSP or Stock Android more then either download a Launcher, buy a Nexus, or Root your current/future device to run Stock/AOSP Android. I know this example has been used A LOT of times, but its like vehicles, each company creates something and then some/all will follow suit because they want to show they are not out of date or living in the past. I know everyone has their opinion and thats fine, post it or whatever. I'm just tired of seeing people say someone is copying this and that. If they copied, fine they copied. I guess AndroidCentral copied other websites with their comments section.... Yes, but its because PEOPLE want a place to comment on an article. If a company is doing something, its cause the people want that feature. Sorry for my rant, like I said earlier, its just I see way too many people put a company down for mimicking a feature another company has implemented in their device. Now for my actual comment: How about we just get back to smaller screens? I feel like 5 inches is as big a screen should get with on-screen buttons. 4.5 - 4.7 inches with capacitive buttons. I currently have a Galaxy S4, and I recently picked up my good old Galaxy S2 (AT&T variant) and realized how much more comfortable it was to use! I love my S4, but I wish companies would go the Sony route and make "Mini" or "Compact" variants of their phones with the "No Compromises" attitude Sony has. My next phone just might be a Sony cause of this reason.
  • Amen, to the copying rant. As for smaller screens, that seems to be a function of market power. The larger screens keep selling like crazy, so all the OEM's keep trying to get in on the action. Sony has apparently noticed a "gap" in the market, and are moving to cover it. Good for them. Bad for consumers, though, that that might be the only option at this screen size.
  • That's actually kind of clever, I could see my dad using something like that......not a slam there, but for people who might struggle a bit with the large screen sizes which've become standard these days, that's a neat feature.
  • Pretty cool feature, that has always been one of my concerns with large screens, glad to see that LG is addressing it.
  • I'll say this, unless there is a stylus that comes with the phone, I don't see the point of large screen phones. For me, my big screen is taken care of with my Nexus 7. Also, portability is something I value when I get a phone, but maybe that's just me. For me, anything more than 5 inches is going a bit overboard. Great phone for those who like big screens, but I just can't get on board with the LG G2 or phones that size. Posted through my Nexus 7!
  • To each their own. I *love* my Note 3, but I can certainly understand why others might want a smaller phone.