LG G7 notch settings pictured

The LG G7 ThinQ will let you hide the notch. A spy shot shows a setting called New Second Screen, which allows you to toggle this on and off and even enable virtual rounded corners on the display below the notch.

There also seems to be an option to change the background color for the status bar, though we’re not quite sure how that will work – black hides the notch, anything else doesn’t. Most of the options seem variations of black/gray, but then there’s the rainbow option at the right.

It’s also worth keeping in mind that (according to the rumor mill) the LG G7 will have an RGBW LCD screen, so it won’t have the perfect blacks of an AMOLED. That will certainly affect its ability to hide the notch.

Source (in Chinese) | Via

LG V40 tipped to be codenamed Storm

The code name for LG's next V series smartphone has been revealed. The usually reliable tipster Evan Blass took to Twitter to reveal that the V40 is internally codenamed Storm.

View image on Twitter

Evan Blass

✔@evleaks

LG V40 is codenamed Storm.

5:09 AM - Apr 20, 2018

• 682
• 77 people are talking about this

Twitter Ads info and privacy

Sadly, @evleaks didn't reveal anything else about the device, including its pricing and availability information.

For now, what's confirmed is that the LG G7 ThinQ will be made official on May 3. Plus, a V35 ThinQ is also said to be coming. It's reasonable to expect the V40 will arrive after these devices.

Source

LG G7 ThinQ to debut on May 3

LG Electronics officially confirmed the LG G7 ThinQ name of its next flagship. In a press release, the company also stated the launch would take place in Seoul and New York on May 3. The ThinQ moniker means the phone will come with AI technology for “more enjoyable entertainment”.

The company introduced the ThinQ brand to its phone lineup through the refreshed LG V30Sat MWC 2018. It has enhanced AI modes for scene recognition in its camera, extra voice commands for Google Assistant and pre-installed apps.

The LG G7 ThinQ will come with performance upgrades too. The AI features will also improve interoperability with other devices.

In a press release, Ha Jeong-wook, managing director at LG Electronics, said that smartphones are focusing on filling more and more niches, so the Korean company decided to actually find solutions how a device can be more convenient to the user.

The LG G7 ThinQ will be announced in New York on May 2 and in Seoul on May 3, which, given the 13-hour time difference between the two cities, is likely going to be a simultaneous launch. Earlier today we showed you the official renders of the phone that had its name leaked last week.

Source (in Korean)

Here is an official LG G7 ThinQ renders in all colors

As we’ve seen in previous leaks. The LG G7 will have a notch at the top of the display, despite asking for feedback on Reddit about what customers thoughts were on “the notch situation”. It was likely too far into the phone’s production to even backtrack on the notch, but perhaps LG would take that feedback into consideration for the development of the LG V30’s successor, whenever that may be.

The notch will house the phone’s in-call receiver and front-facing camera. Also, we are expecting a refined camera from the LG V30’s, one with the standard and ultra-wide cameras, which work independently from each other, and don’t offer portrait or zoom features. LG finds that the super-wide camera is a much more unique feature to have and would rather stand out in this way.

Unlike previous LG models with dual cameras, the cameras will be arranged vertically instead of horizontally. Also, for the first time in a while, LG will be putting a side-mounted power key instead of having it right on the rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. There is also an additional button under the volume rocker, which suggests that LG could be adding an AI assistant shortcut. Our hopes are that it will be a programmable key to spite Samsung’s non-customizable Bixby button.

The renders also suggest that LG will keep a simple “LG” branding on the back of the phone rather than include the “G” product line. By contrast, the LG G6 featured “G6” branding on the back with “LG” branding just under the display.

Specs weren’t mentioned in this report, but we are expecting a Snapdragon 845, 4GB or 6GB of RAM, a 6-inch M+ LCD RGBW panel with QHD+ resolution and a taller-than-usual 19:9 aspect ratio, likely accommodating for the area above where the notch starts. Currently, rumors point to a May launch with a late-April announcement. Pricing is still up in the air.

Source

LG Display made the OLED screen of the Huawei Mate RS

LG Display may have scored big time – it sold flexible OLED displays to Huawei for the curved screen of the Mate RS Porsche Design. It’s important to note that LG didn’t make the OLED screen for the Huawei P20 Pro, so the deal in its current form is pretty low volume.

However, Huawei is the third biggest smartphone maker in the world and LG Display is reportedly “paying special attention” to the Huawei contract. If things go well, there's plenty of room for orders to grow.

The Mate RS, as you probably know, is one of the first smartphones with a fingerprint reader under its display. ETNews suggests that LG may be responsible for successfully mating the Goodix-made reader to the display.

LG Display obviously fills the OLED needs of LG Mobile, but it also supplied the display for the Pixel 2 XL and has worked with Xiaomi as well. It’s a long way off, but deals like this one may help the company challenge the dominance of neighbor Samsung Display in the mobile OLED field.

Source

LG new flagship to be called G7 ThinQ

LG's mobile division is going through a rough patch. The Korean company even went as far as changing the head of Mobile Communications to try and turn things around, which led to postponing the LG G7launch and instead bringing the refreshed V30S ThinQ to MWC 2018.

The ThinQ moniker stands for the new AI features that LG developed, and according to leakster evleaks, the long-awaited flagship will be actually named G7 ThinQ and will come with scene recognition features and detailed Google Assistant commands.

  
LG G7 cases and renders by Olixar

Recently another tipster with good track record - Ricciolo1 said that owners of the 2017 flagship LG G6 will also receive the same features eventually. A software update should be issued in June, if his sources are correct.

Previous LG G7 leaks suggested M+ LCD panel with a cutout for the camera on the top. The phone should be a classic glass sandwich, packing a Snapdragon 845, 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage for the regular variant and 6 GB/128GB memory for the Plus version.

Source 1 • Source 2

LG's non-G7 to come with an LCD instead of an OLED display as a cost-cutting measure

LG will reportedly opt for an LCD panel for the upcoming G6 successor, Korean market analysts predict. It will be a measure aimed at keeping costs in check as OLED displays, their advantages aside, can be two to three times as expensive as comparable LCDs.

P-OLED LG V30 (left) next to LCD LG G6

That said, LG's G-series smartphones have traditionally been equipped with LCDs anyway, so it's hardly a surprise that the G7(which in all likelihood will not be called that) won't use an OLED either. Speculations were fuelled by the adoption of OLED for the V30, and the notched renders of what is rumored to be the G6's replacement.

Speculations is what all of this is at this point. The LG G7 (or whatever the company decides to name it) should go official sometime in April or May, and we'll know everything for a fact around that time.

Source

LG X4 smartphone announced in South Korea

LG has launched a new budget Android smartphone in South Korea, the LG X4. The phone is priced at 297,000 South Korean won ($275).

LG X4

The X4 has a 5.3-inch display with a resolution of 1280x720. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor with 2GB of RAM and 16GB storage with microSD support. On the back is an 8MP camera and on the front is a 5MP camera. Other features include a fingerprint sensor with LG Pay support, LTE connectivity, Wi-Fi 802.11n, 3000mAh battery and Android 7.1.2 Nougat.

The phone will be available in a choice of Black or Gold color options on SKT, KT and LGU+ networks.

Source • Via

MWC 2018 is over, here are the highlights

MWC 2018 was jam-packed with exciting tech, which we had a lot of fun experiencing and reporting on. Hopefully you took just as much enjoyment reading our coverage and hands-on impressions. Just in case you missed something from the busy schedule, we have prepared a quick rundown of all the highlights of the Barcelona venue.

And just in case you prefer the more retro approach to things, here are some key points in writing as well:

alcatel

In keeping with its track record, the TCL company unleashed a slew of new devices complete with some confusing and open-to-change-upon-order specs sheets. To be fair, this year's lineup is a bit more premium than usual, with devices like the flagship alcatel 5 likely to end up in users hands even without a carrier contract deal. Joining its ranks are four alcatel 3 variants - the basic one, 3X, 3V and 3C, all rocking trendy new 18:9 panels. Even the entry-level actatel 1X gets to participate in the extra-tall display fun.

Alcatel at MWC 2018

Huawei

No real mobile announcements from the Chinese giant this year. Well, that does depend on your definition of mobile, since a new MediaPad M5 tablet did make an appearance, alongside a gorgeous, ultra-light MateBook X Pro laptop.

ZTE

ZTE's new additions to the budget-friendly Blade family can potentially make a big market splash, given their aggressive sub-$300 pricing. The Blade V9 and Blade V9 VITA promise premium looks, strong mid-ranger specs and a solid camera experience. ZTE also showcased the Tempo GO as a part of the Android Go initiative.

ZTE Blade V9 and Blade V9 VITA hands-on

Nokia

HMD brought a full and rich roster of new devices to Barcelona. The nostalgia train is running on full steam, as the Finnish company officially resurrected the Sirocco branding, in its shiny new Nokia 8 Sirocco flagship.

Surprisingly, it was not the only flagship product to appear on stage. Well, a bit debatable, since the Nokia 7 Plus is based on a Snapdragon 660, but they've packaged that in an exquisitely crafted aluminum body with ceramic-like finish.

The same overall praise for build quality and bill of materials applies to the new Nokia 6 (2018) as well, refreshed for 2018.

HMD has an Android Go offer as well in the retro-infused Nokia 1, complete with Xpress-on covers - another old-school Nokia branding brought back from the glorious days of yore.

But all the exchangeable cases in the world pale in retro-coolness compared to the 2018 Nokia 8110 4G - reborn in Matrix-worthy black and banana yellow.

Nokia 8 Sirocco, 7 Plus, and 8110 4G hands-on review

Samsung

As expected, after an avalanche of leaks, Samsung launched the S9 pair at this year's MWC. Design-wise, the Galaxy S9+ and Galaxy S9 are more of a refinement on their predecessors than anything else, but with a lot of extra features and goodies hiding underneath.

Some highlights include a dual-aperture main camera for both phones, aided by a secondary snapper on the bigger S9+. 4K@60fps video recording and slow motion 720p@960fps are now possible with the new generation of chipsets from Qualcomm and Samsung themselves. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ hands-on review

Sony

A pair of exciting new flagships from the Japanese giant. Pretty controversial ones at that. The Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact feature a fresh new "Ambient Flow" design, a lot curvier than before, complete with 18:9 displays. Underneath, both are true powerhouses, built around the Snapdragon 845 and a refined version of Sony's familiar 19MP Motion Eye camera system.

HDR recording and display panels are some of the other highlights in the new Xperia XZ2 pair. The Dynamic Vibration system is a peculiar novelty as well.

Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact hands-on review

Vivo

Vivo managed to soak up quite a lot of spotlight at this year's MWC with the APEX concept phone. It’s a unique device, or rather a unique tech demo (because it's what it is), for more than a few reasons. Thanks to new advancements in OLED technology, the APEX's 5.99-inch panel spans nearly the entirety of its front and also doubles as a speaker and earpiece. Plus, the company's next generation under-display fingerprint technology now spans the entire bottom half of the screen. To top it all off, the selfie camera pops-up when needed via a small motorized dome. If you haven't done so already, you need to check the vivo APEX out.

Vivo APEX concept hands-on: a half-screen fingerprint scanner and a periscope camera

Asus

Asus also brought a full bag of new handsets to Barcelona, namely a fresh new Zenfone 5 line (not to be confused with the 2014 original). Asus is clearly shooting for feature-rich flagships on a budget with the Zenfone 5 and 5z. Both come with tall 19:9 panels, complete with an iPhone X-style notch, live animated emojis and a generous amount of AI sprinkled all over - a recipe worthy for 2018.

With a notch less and some downgrades in internals here and there, the Zenfone 5 Lite still promises to deliver all the software goodies and revamped experience of its bigger sibling. And last, but not least, there is the slightly more traditional Zenfone Max (M1) - no AI treatment for this one, but plenty of juice from the 4,000 mAh battery.

Asus Zenfone 5, 5z, 5 Lite hands-on review

LG

LG jumped hard on the AI bandwagon as well, releasing a new and ambitious in scope ThinkQ platform. To go along with it - a pair of devices, or should we say memory options for the V30, descriptively titled the LG V30S ThinQand V30S+ ThinkQ, with 6GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage, respectively. The only other change is the duo of new colors.

There wasn't really any new hardware to speak of in LG's "K" lineup either, although, technically, these were refreshed with 2018 versions as well.

LG K10/K10+ (2018) and LG K8 (2018) hands-on at MWC

So there you have it - the MWC 2018 at a glance. We're looking forward to a few other exciting announcements scheduled for later this month so consider this just the start of an exciting season.

LG showed off a phone called the G7 at Mobile World Congress

Ynet

We’ve heard rumors that LG won’t call its next G-series phone the G7, and that the company scrapped its internal plans for the phone to start fresh. But today, Israeli publication Ynet publisheda video of a device that’s clearly marked as the G7 with the codename Neo. It’s unclear whether this is actually the device LG will be releasing or if it’s just to show some work the company’s done on one of its next phones.

Ynet reports this phone has a notch, of course, along with a 6-inch OLED display with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. It has an 8-megapixel front-facing camera, two 16-megapixel cameras in the back, and a rear fingerprint sensor. It also incorporates Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 processor and has 4GB of RAM with 64GB of storage. It has a 3,000mAh battery.

VentureBeat reporter Evan Blass suggests that this might be the canceled device. He also saysthis G7 was accompanied by a Q7 and V35, as well as a new watch.

I recommend watching the short video because it’s grainy and tough to pull screenshots from, but you can at least get a sense of the device here. Check out a couple stills and photos below:

Ynet

Ynet

The glass back looks nice, as does the deep blue color. It’s a slight bummer to see LG going the way of all the other notch clones, but I guess this is the consensus phone makers have reached about what people want.

LG K10/K10+ (2018) and LG K8 (2018) hands-on at MWC

LG's official announcements at MWC this year were admittedly a bit light on the hardware front, with a major focus on AI instead. In case you missed it, the V30S ThinQ and V30S+ ThinkQ were unveiled at the Barcelona venue, with most of the focus falling on the company's new and ambitious smart platform, rather than the new V30 colors and memory upgrade.

Still, that is not to say the Korean giant didn't bring any hardware to the venue. We just had to go looking for it around the showfloor. What we found were three new mid-rangers - the K10, K10+ and K8. Well, technically, two, since the K10 and K10+ only differ in memory configurations. Come to think of it, both the K10 and K8 are kind of incremental updates, perhaps even "side-grades" or slight variations compared to their respective 2017 predecessors.

      
LG K10

The pair pretty much carries over the general design and shapes of the "K" family. LG's reasoning for this continuity is a sort of visual identity, recognizable by users. Plus, a subtle 2.5D arching glass on the front and a glossy back, do make for a rather classic look, that should age well, in keeping with LG's own claims.

That being said, however, the 2018 K10 does feature a new back design. The better part of it is now metal, which goes along nicely with the metal U-frame, carried over form the previous generation. It has a good feel to it, more glossy than brushed, but also tends to retain a lot of smudges. Come to think of it, both the LG K10 and K8 are fingerprint-magnets, pretty much all around. The top and bottom segments of the redesigned K10 back plate are still plastic, which eliminates the need for antenna lines. The color and texture matching between the two materials is also pretty good and works well with all the available colors.

Speaking of which, both models come in Aurora Black, Terra Gold and Moroccan Blue - probably our favourite of the bunch, on the K8. For the K10, we would definitely go with Aurora Black. In place of metal on the smaller K8, LG went for a very pleasant fine dot pattern. It makes for a nice grip, but is not necessarily easier to clean.

Control and hardware-wise, there are practically no new changes for 2018 to speak of. Both phones still have a 3.5mm jack, a single speaker on the back, microUSB 2.0 ports and a fingerprint reader, right underneath the main camera.

Specs changes this year are also pretty minimal and not necessarily what we would call upgrades. For instance, the K8 (2018) has an 8MP main camera, bumped down from 13MP in the LG K8 (2017). On the flip side, you can get the new K10 with a higher-res 8MP selfie, capable of bokeh shots in certain variants, this year. Displays remain unchanged and retain the 16:9 aspect ratio standing at 5-inch, 720p and 5.3-inch, 720p, for the K8 and K10, respectively. Frankly, considering what competitors like alcatel are doing, we expected LG to embrace the new extra-tall trend as well. Then again, it's good to have options.

    
LG K8

Circling back to the camera, LG speaks very highly of the 13MP one inside the new K10, even going as far as to liken it to its flagship G6 in photography prowess. Now, the latter is obviously an overstatement, but LG has thrown in a new Low Light Noise Reduction feature in both the K8 and K10. We'll be sure to test it out thoroughly in our full review.

    
LG K8

While on the topic of camera, LG is shipping a more advanced camera UX on both models this year, complete with some new extra features. Timer Helper uses the flash to indicate how many seconds are left on the self timer, so you and your friends, don't have to guess exactly when to smile.

Timing the perfect jumping shot is easier with the K10 and K8 as well. There is a special mode, rather descriptively titled - Flash Jump Shot. It snaps a photo automatically every three seconds, for up to 20 shots, so you can retry without having to run over to the phone. Better still, at the end of the jumping session, the phone stitches the shots together automatically and makes an animated GIF. Pretty convenient for sharing.

Before we wrap up, we should probably note that contrary to earlier rumors, neither LG's press materials, nor the representatives at the booth mentioned anything about LG Pay on the K10 (2018). Perhaps LG backed out on its plans to bring the feature to its mid-range lineup. Perhaps, the integration simply wasn't ready in time for the Barcelona show and will pop up on the phone later. We'll just have to wait and see.

LG V30S ThinQ and V30S+ ThinkQ now official: V30 with more memory and new colors

The all new LG V30s is here, but you can safely let go of your seats. Just like the rumors predicted, it is nothing more than a memory upgrade over the current model. Plus, a new AI platform added on top. So, while technically LG announced two new devices, the V30S ThinQ and V30S+ ThinkQ, the "S" and "S+" parts, simply stand for 6GB RAM, plus 128GB storage and 6GB RAM, plus 256GB storage, respectively.

That's about the only hardware change announced today. That and a pair of new colors, as clearly evident by their names: New Maroccan Blue and New Platinum Gray. Those will be the only two launch options for the V30S and V30S+. The older paint jobs will not be available. Although, given LG's track record so far, we don't exactly expect this binary color pallete to last long.

  
LG V30S ThinkQ

As for the ThinQ part, it is LG's new AI - because it’s 2018 and not having AI clearly means you have given up. Joking aside, the platform is reminiscent of Samsung's Bixby, mainly for its ambitious scope to span all throughout the V30S UI, as well as connect smart appliances and accelerate and aid in all things IoT.

To break ThinkQ down a bit, first off there is AI CAM - a layer of artificial intelligence on top of the camera viewfinder that is designed to recognize the subject of the shot and adjust the camera settings accordingly. Currently, it can sort things into 8 categories: Portrait (Person), Animal, City/Building, Flower, Sunrise, Sunset, Food and Landscape. Nifty, even if not really that innovative.

Then there is QLens, which can attempt to recognize specific objects for the purposes of shopping, price and image searching online. It can also read QR codes - a lot less impressive, but still very practical. Last, but not least, ThinkQ can communicate with all your existing and future IoT, smart appliances, like washing machines and dryers.

  
LG ThinQ UI

LG is also attempting to keep ThinkQ and its AI efforts as open and accessible as possible. Google Assistant integration fits in pretty well with that ideology. You should be able to ask ThinkQ to take photos and search for things, or pull up IoT device info straight through Google's AI voice or text.

Any current V30 users will be happy to learn that the ThinkQ platform will be coming to their devices as well. LG is also promising a new "Bright Mode", which should improve the low-light performance of the V30 camera and is already present on the V30S pair.

You can expect the new V30 flavors some time next month, but pricing is still unknown. Some markets will see the regular V30 disappear in favor of the V30S and V30S+, while others can expect all of them to sell simultaneously. At least for some time, that is.

Deal: LG Q6 for $160 this Sunday on Amazon

If you’re looking for a new and inexpensive smartphone that’s also attractive, look no further than the LG Q6. Amazon already sells the LG Q6 at a discount of $50 for the Prime Exclusive version – this comes out to $200.

LG has let us know that the Prime Exclusive variant of the phone will be going on sale as part of Amazon’s Daily Deal on Sunday, February 25 for a grand total of $160 – a killer value If you ask us and a great smartphone for a young teen or anyone who only needs the bare essentials.

The LG Q6 is related to the G6. It has very similar design language and even offers a FullVision (18:9) display, albeit this one is a bit smaller than the G6’s at 5.5-inches and its resolution sits at FullHD+. Otherwise, the Q6 has a 13MP main camera and a 5MP selfie shooter with various shooting modes.

The hardware itself meets MIL-STD-810G standards for durability and operation conditions, but it isn’t water resistant. Powering this guy is a power-efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage (expandable via microSD). Powering everything is a 3,000 mAh battery.

Amazon’s Prime Exclusive smartphones no longer have ads on the lock screen but pre-installs Amazon’s suite of apps and services like an Amazon Widget, a shortcut to Prime daily deals, Prime Music, and Prime Video apps.

Again, the deal will become available this Sunday February 25 as Amazon’s Deal of the Day in the US. Also, check out our full review of the LG Q6.

LG Q6 on Amazon US

LG will unveil 2018 versions of the K8 and K10 at MWC

LG will be unveiling 2018 editions of its K8 and K10 midrange smartphones at the MWC which kicks off this weekend in Barcelona. Both of these models are planned to roll out in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Last year, LG announced its K10 (2017) at CES. However, this year’s it didn't happen at CES 2018. The decision to announce it at MWC is one that makes more sense considering that the US isn’t a major market for LG’s midrange smartphones.

LG says its K10 smartphones will have quicker focus speeds thanks to Phase-detection autofocus, and improved noise reduction in lower light and with its new 13MP camera sensor. Meanwhile, the K8 has an 8MP camera with new shooting features and the rear-mounted power button/ fingerprint scanner can be used to quickly launch the camera on either phone.

The hardware will also keep its pebble like design, one that gently curves around all edges of the phone. There are also three new colors for 2018: Aurora Black, Moroccan Blue, and Terra Gold.

The K8 has a 5-inch 720p display while the K10 will sport a larger 5.3-inch 720p display.

The K8 comes with a 1.3GHz quad-core CPU while the K10 has a 1.5GHz one. The K10 comes in two extra variants: “Alpha” and “Plus”. The Plus model has 3GB/32GB and while the Alpha, standard K10, and K8 have 2GB/16GB. The Alpha has a lower-res 8MP camera. These variants are all likely meant for different markets.

Check out the source link for the full specs on LG’s new K8 and K10 phones.

Source

LG Shows Off ‘Tweet-TV’ Integrated Mobile DTV Handset

It seems as though social networking is making itself a part of every bit of our daily lives. Be it through easier sharing of information through integration with news apps, communications from corporate heads, or clicking a button to share what song your listening to, the medium has become almost synonymous with modern web-based technology. LG is looking to carry that idea even further with its latest mobile DTV (digital television) prototype handset and its “Tweet-TV” integration. As though the cool factor of an Android-based DTV packing phone wasn’t enough, LG has included programming in the DTV app to pull Twitter updates related to what you’re watching and display them on the screen. Now, granted, the accuracy of this has yet to be verified, and it is yet to be seen if this can be made actually useful…but as a geek, I’m always interested when technologies merge into something unique. LG will be demonstrating this handset at the National Association of Broadcasters this week, so we’ll see how warmly it’s received by the tech community.