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Reports have already predicted 2014 will be the year the smartwatch goes mainstream - and that trend is now expected to be kicked off by Google in July. 

Korean firm LG has been teasing its Google-powered G Watch for months, and last night gave a sneak preview of how the device will fit in with its current range of phones and accessories.

The watch is expected to launch at Google's I/O conference in June before going on sale in July for £180.

Korean firm LG has been teasing is G Watch, pictured, for months and last night gave a sneak preview of how the device will fit in with its current range of phones and accessories. The watch is expected to launch at Google's I/O conference in June, and go on sale in July for £180

The G Watch has a square, 2-inch display and runs Android Wear – a streamlined version of Google's current operating system seen on phones and tablet.

It is one of a handful of devices, including the Moto 360, to take advantage of this modified software.

LG has also revealed the watch will be waterproof, feature voice controls taking advantage of Google Now and is likely to sync with LG's range of smartphones.

The glimpse was seen during an LG event in London last night, in which the firm unveiled its much-rumoured and much-leaked G3 smartphone.

The G Watch, pictured, has a square, 2-inch display and runs Android Wear - a streamlined version of Google's current operating system seen on phones and tablet. It has voice controls that take advantage of Google Now, and is likely to sync with LG's range of smartphones.

LG has also revealed the watch will be waterproof. The glimpse was seen during an LG event in London last night and follows a product video officially released earlier this month, screen grab pictured

The G3 has a 5.5-inch QHD display, which the firm claims is four times as detailed as HD.

It builds on a number of features from the previous generation G2 handset, including the Knock On feature.

Now called Knock Code, users of the G3 can tap in a pattern on the phone's screen to unlock it, even when the screen is off.

Inside the handset is a Snapdragon 801 2.5GHz quad-core processor and a memory card slot that can take cards up to 128GB. It will be available on O2 from July. 

LG unveil their latest product - The G Watch

The G Watch is one of a handful of devices, including the Moto 360, pictured, to take advantage of the modified Android software. The Motorola watch is expected to launch shortly after LG's G watch

But all the watches expected to launch this year rely on the owner connecting it to a smartphone.

Earlier this week, patent files revealed a Samsung smartwatch that won't need a phone to work.

According to the application filed by the Korean firm, the standalone smartwatch could be controlled using gestures, detected by sensors built into the wrist-worn device.

These sensors could recognise flicks, waves and other movements, and the files claim a depth sensor, when combined with a camera, for example, could be used to detect what a user is pointing at.

The G watch is likely to sync with LG's current range of phones. Earlier this week, patent files revealed a Samsung smartwatch, pictured, that won't need a phone to work. According to the application, the standalone smartwatch could be controlled using gestures, detected by sensors built into the wrist-worn device

The firm plans to unveil the smartwatch over the next few months in a bid to take a larger slice of the wearable technology market.

The unnamed smartwatch will be able to take photos, send emails, monitor the wearer's heart rate and use GPS tracking, according to sources close to the company.