I've now spent a day with the LG G3 and I have to say I'm impressed with what LG has done with the software; not only their makeover of the rather dated Optimus UI , but also their restraint when it comes the temptation to overload a new flagship with too much fluff. Everything about the G3 screams ''refined.'' Let's take a visual walk through the major new software features of the LG G3. There's a lot of screen shots, so get comfortable! [Update: software features video added.]

Note: the LG G3 given to media is a pre-production Korean version with non-final software, so there may be some changes in the final version. As such, I won't go on much about things that are ''missing,'' as they may return.

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Link to Video

Optimus UI

The first thing you notice upon looking at the G3 running Android 4.4.2 is the new look Optimus UI. Previously, LG had tended towards a childish, blocky interface, but the new UI is clean, crisp and uses ''mature and sophisticated'' colors, avoiding vivid colors and clashes. The home screen is spacious with new circular and square app icons which look pretty tidy. Except the camera icon which looks like a clothes dryer.

The new Optimus UI on Android 4.4.2 is super flat and clean on the LG G3. / © AndroidPIT

LGHealth plays a central role in LG's new-look interface and is also clean and crisp. / © AndroidPIT

The notifications shade is like a mixture between iOS and Samsung's riffing on Windows Phone in their new TouchWiz interface, but to my mind, it looks a whole lot better than both. You can access all the familiar Quick Settings and bring up your QSlide app row. There's also a dedicated brightness and volume slider. LG's major apps have all been given a color-coded identity to ''enhance task awareness'' and LGHealth occupies a prominent position in the same way as SHealth on the Galaxy S5.

LG has opted for flip animations between screens and for circular and square icons. / © AndroidPIT

The app drawer is nice and clean too and doesn't feel too cluttered, with tabulated apps and widgets and a transparent background. The settings menu comes in a tabulated form by default but this can be switched to the easier to navigate list view. The old menu button has been replaced by the now default recent apps button and you can bring up your home and lock screen settings, as well as app, theme and widget shortcuts with a long press. Dual Window apps can be accessed with a long press of the back arrow. Long pressing the home key gets you Google Now.

The settings menu is nicely laid out in list view, but recent apps (right) is a bit awful. / © AndroidPIT

Long-press shortcut (left), pinch overview (center) and the new music player interface (right). / © AndroidPIT

Folders get the ''executive'' look (left), plus there's themes and volume/haptic sliders. / © AndroidPIT

Software features

Some familiar software features reappear in the G3, like Knock On to access your clock and notifications and Knock Code to directly access your home screen (or enter Guest Mode, where only five pre-selected apps can be accessed). There's also some motion gestures, mostly related to flipping the phone, facing t down or picking it up for answering and rejecting calls and so on. The volume keys on the back are still shortcuts for the camera and QMemo+, which lets you write on top of any screen and save or share the results.

Knock Code can be used to provide direct access to your home screen and Guest Mode. / © AndroidPIT

There's some flip-based gesture controls (left) and QMemo+ makes a return (right). / © AndroidPIT

LG has brought a couple of new creations in Smart Bulletin and Smart Notices with the G3. These act a bit like Google Now, providing suggestions, reminders and recommendations based on your smartphone usage habits, current activity, length of time you've had the phone and more. You can even get friendly reminders to dress appropriately according to the weather forecast and suggestions on accessories and upgrade promotions for a new device. Other functions include device cleanup, app and feature tips, uninstall recommendations for unused apps and the like.

LG's Smart Bulletin and Smart Notices provide information before you know you need it. / © AndroidPIT

Dual Window setup (left) and in action (center and right). / © AndroidPIT

Dual Window makes a comeback, allowing you to screen share with two apps at a time and QSlide offers the ability to place up to two floating windows anywhere on the screen. Transparency and window size can