LG’s ‘Smart Video’ uses eye recognition to automatically control movie playback

It’s not entirely clear what type of eye tracking (if any) will be integrated in Samsung’s Galaxy S 4, but LG is today unveiling its own solution. Dubbed “Smart Video,” the new feature — which will soon be added to the Optimus G Pro — automatically pauses playback of a movie if the phone detects your eyes have looked away from the screen. Once your focus returns to the displayed content, the video will resume from where you left off. LG thinks the new option will negate the traditional play and pause buttons — though you’ll still need to touch the screen to scrub through clips.

The company isn’t going into great detail when it comes to the technology powering Smart Video, only saying that the Optimus G Pro’s front camera is now capable of recognizing the position of your eyes. The concept of monitoring when a user’s focus isn’t entirely novel: Samsung already employs a similar option on its Galaxy S III that can dim the phone’s display if it’s not being glanced at. Smart Video will be among the new additions made to the Optimus G Pro in a Value Pack set for release in Korea next month. There’s no word on when or if it will expand to other territories.