Oh LG you have set yourselves up for failure, cost cutting with wireless charging, cost cutting by not including the Quad DAC, single bottom firing speaker, didn't you already cut enough corners by using an old SD821?
How much is this going to cost with these omissions? I don't see a reason to pick this up for over $450, It certainly isn't a match for the Mate 9.
And let's not forget the software update situation given the huge amount of fragmentation for different hardware configurations on different markets, I imagine quite a few will be left stuck on older versions of Android because a particular quad DAC wireless charging configutation didn't sell enough units.
Devices with the SD835 or Kirin 960 will step all over this one when it comes to performance and efficiency.
I really wanted this to be good but so much cost cutting and different hardware configurations are unaceptable at the price LGs is going to sell this phone. So far it seems like only Huawei has a shot at ending Samsung's Android monopoly.
I agree hardware fragmentation has a high correlation with software fragmentations. For example, even though I thought Motorola releases software updates more frequently, the moto e version 2 that I got as a backup phone for trips never got any updates even though other versions of the exact phone in other markets were getting the updates (I got mine in Sweden).
Motorola now has a pretty poor updates record. It's former flagship Moto X Pure will receive Nougat no sooner than May, 9 months after the original Android 7.0 release!
I think Sony makes the smartphone to beat. Anandtech never reviews them for some reason but they're amazing. I have the Z3+ and it's still fast and responsive even 1.5 years later fully stock. Gets every update to this day and I don't expect that to slow down. Talk about a 4 year phone.
Do you really think that the vast majority of smartphone shoppers know the difference between SD820 and SD821 or SD835. The SoCs have become pretty mundane after SD820, which already has more power than what most people need.
This isn't about the SoC. The SD821 is fine. What's annoying is the different features for each region. It's a pain in the behind, for regular, non-techy consumers, to know which model has which; wireless charging, HiFi dac, etc...
The screen is roughly equivalent to a 5.2 inch 16:9 display, with an extra half inch tacked on to the bottom (in portrait orientation).
Optimum screen size varies for different people, so a 5.2 inch display may work well for some.
However, I don't think a lack of elongation has been a hugely limiting factor in smartphone screens, so I am sceptical that the departure from a standard aspect ratio can bring enough benefits to outweigh possible problems of UI scaling, which presumably may be app-dependent and could crop up any time an app, or some API on which an app relies, is updated.
Otherwise, I think it is a great pity that LG has abandoned one of its few differentiating features, the replaceable battery. I am not convinced that this is a necessary trade-off to achieve water and dust resistance, as other devices have managed to achieve both, and even if the trade-off confers some advantage in this regard, it is not one that I would make, especially if it removed one of my USPs.
I'll wait and see on device handling, but the pictures suggest this phone is a bit of brick - too squared-off for in-hand comfort?
I also hate glass backs - just asking to be shattered, and finger-print magnets.
In my opinion, LG has lost its way at a difficult time for the wider smartphone industry. The market is highly commoditised at the mid to low end, and LG is no longer able to compete with Apple and Samsung at the high end because it just doesn't have the volume, distribution, branding, or support to stay in that fight.
The G2 and G3 were well-considered devices, with a great balance of innovation, features, usability, and price. A relative absence of post-sale software support compared with the market leaders could be offset by the overall value proposition.
The G4 was barely adequate and plagued by the boot-loop bug. The G5 was a radical but poorly-executed design that has been a financial disaster. Is the G6 enough to turn things around? At first blush, I doubt it, because the flagship or near-flagship market is difficult and what does LG really have here that is compelling? Maybe it is lower price, but LG's lesser sales volumes compared with the big two surely will not allow it to generate big profits here.
I've had just over two stirling years of service out of my G4. Been using smartphones since 2004/5 and its been the best so far. Great phone. Seen a lot of people struggle with supposedly far superior phones.
Yeah, I still have fond memories of the G4. Took awesome pictures, had a nice display, and battery live seemed pretty good. I loved the rear buttons, and when LG abandoned those, I saw no reason to stick with them. Their phones are just like all the others now.
You've had over 2 stirling years with a phobe that was released in May 2015? How's that possible? I got my G4 the day it came out, actually the day before the official release, and for me that was May 2nd 2015. I agree though, the G4 was a solid phone. I've not experienced any bootloops. It isn't a perfect device, the screen is too blue, and LG has a terrible reputation with security and version updates. The June security update the G4 got looks to be the last update that phone will get. Even Samsung has a better track record with updates... The G6 is too conservative to sell well, and without any real differentiation to it's competitors (eg removable battery, IR blaster, etc.) it will be ignored by the masses.
I never hear anyone complaining about the lack of replaceable battery outside of "geek-tech" forums. I have never met a real life person who told me that replaceable battery is a consideration. Most don't even know whether the battery it replaceable or not.
That doesn't mean this isn't a valid concern. One reason most people haven't worried too much about replaceable batteries until now might be that their carriers subsidized phone upgrades every two years. The degradation a Lithium Ion battery experiences in two years isn't severe enough to justify a battery replacement. But if you plan on keeping your phone for 3+ years, this is something that matters IMO.
Thoroughly agree. I don't necessarily see on the fly swappable batteries as being that important now there's such a good range of portable chargers. But I would say that ensuring the battery can be readily replaced either by a skilled end user or by a phone repair shop is a damned good idea as it negates the biggest issue with sealed batteries - degradation.
"The chassis is still aluminum, with internal bracing to increase rigidity, but there’s a piece of glass covering the plastic back with a brushed aluminum finish below."
At around the 2 minute mark, you can observe that the backpanel is entirely glass. The finish is a coating on the underside of the glass. So it seems there is a metal frame and a glass back. No plastic except inside the phone where various internal components are mounted on a plastic inserts.
Really quite disappointed. I was very tempted to get one of these based on the leaks but two things ruin it for me - one, the glass back (although I would probably put it in a case so a drop might not shatter it) and then this hardware fragmentation for different markets. I was really excited by the attention paid to the audio as it's such a disappointment on so many smartphones and then they do this. You have to wonder if it's a patent issue or something. Are they going to build all the phones the same and then just disable features like some CPUs and GPUs? Regardless, it's gonna slow down updates.
I can understand wireless charging a little more but given the shelf life of this phone is 2-3 years I'd have hoped they'd be designing one that'll support this as it becomes more popular. I had wireless charging on my palm pre and it was good. That was one fine phone, actually.
It seems like LG is turning into the Nintendo of smartphones: function over specs. This phone becomes even better for people living in Asia since they can get the 64GB + DAC model.
Shame, G2 was a great phone, They never should have gone 1440P on G3 which killed battery life and performance while offered no significant improvement over the screen. Actually G3 screen was worse because the brightness was lower. From that point it's a downward spiral, G5 removed those back buttons which made the phone stood out, Now G6 comes with subpar hardware...
I second the "meh" reaction from everyone else. The only thing that can salvage this phone is reasonable pricing ($400-$450) and we all know that isn't going to happen.
We’ve updated our terms. By continuing to use the site and/or by logging into your account, you agree to the Site’s updated Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
32 Comments
Back to Article
lilmoe - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
USB 2.0? Different feature set for each market? Thus isn't jyst the SoC... What's up with that?lilmoe - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
This isn't just about the SoC****Fidelator - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
Oh LG you have set yourselves up for failure, cost cutting with wireless charging, cost cutting by not including the Quad DAC, single bottom firing speaker, didn't you already cut enough corners by using an old SD821?How much is this going to cost with these omissions? I don't see a reason to pick this up for over $450, It certainly isn't a match for the Mate 9.
And let's not forget the software update situation given the huge amount of fragmentation for different hardware configurations on different markets, I imagine quite a few will be left stuck on older versions of Android because a particular quad DAC wireless charging configutation didn't sell enough units.
Devices with the SD835 or Kirin 960 will step all over this one when it comes to performance and efficiency.
I really wanted this to be good but so much cost cutting and different hardware configurations are unaceptable at the price LGs is going to sell this phone.
So far it seems like only Huawei has a shot at ending Samsung's Android monopoly.
mmrezaie - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
I agree hardware fragmentation has a high correlation with software fragmentations. For example, even though I thought Motorola releases software updates more frequently, the moto e version 2 that I got as a backup phone for trips never got any updates even though other versions of the exact phone in other markets were getting the updates (I got mine in Sweden).UtilityMax - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
Motorola now has a pretty poor updates record. It's former flagship Moto X Pure will receive Nougat no sooner than May, 9 months after the original Android 7.0 release!Hrel - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
I think Sony makes the smartphone to beat. Anandtech never reviews them for some reason but they're amazing. I have the Z3+ and it's still fast and responsive even 1.5 years later fully stock. Gets every update to this day and I don't expect that to slow down. Talk about a 4 year phone.Death666Angel - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
"Anandtech never reviews them for some reason" Sony doesn't ship them review units.UtilityMax - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
Do you really think that the vast majority of smartphone shoppers know the difference between SD820 and SD821 or SD835. The SoCs have become pretty mundane after SD820, which already has more power than what most people need.lilmoe - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
This isn't about the SoC. The SD821 is fine. What's annoying is the different features for each region. It's a pain in the behind, for regular, non-techy consumers, to know which model has which; wireless charging, HiFi dac, etc...Klug4Pres - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
The screen is roughly equivalent to a 5.2 inch 16:9 display, with an extra half inch tacked on to the bottom (in portrait orientation).Optimum screen size varies for different people, so a 5.2 inch display may work well for some.
However, I don't think a lack of elongation has been a hugely limiting factor in smartphone screens, so I am sceptical that the departure from a standard aspect ratio can bring enough benefits to outweigh possible problems of UI scaling, which presumably may be app-dependent and could crop up any time an app, or some API on which an app relies, is updated.
Otherwise, I think it is a great pity that LG has abandoned one of its few differentiating features, the replaceable battery. I am not convinced that this is a necessary trade-off to achieve water and dust resistance, as other devices have managed to achieve both, and even if the trade-off confers some advantage in this regard, it is not one that I would make, especially if it removed one of my USPs.
I'll wait and see on device handling, but the pictures suggest this phone is a bit of brick - too squared-off for in-hand comfort?
I also hate glass backs - just asking to be shattered, and finger-print magnets.
In my opinion, LG has lost its way at a difficult time for the wider smartphone industry. The market is highly commoditised at the mid to low end, and LG is no longer able to compete with Apple and Samsung at the high end because it just doesn't have the volume, distribution, branding, or support to stay in that fight.
The G2 and G3 were well-considered devices, with a great balance of innovation, features, usability, and price. A relative absence of post-sale software support compared with the market leaders could be offset by the overall value proposition.
The G4 was barely adequate and plagued by the boot-loop bug. The G5 was a radical but poorly-executed design that has been a financial disaster. Is the G6 enough to turn things around? At first blush, I doubt it, because the flagship or near-flagship market is difficult and what does LG really have here that is compelling? Maybe it is lower price, but LG's lesser sales volumes compared with the big two surely will not allow it to generate big profits here.
jabber - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
I've had just over two stirling years of service out of my G4. Been using smartphones since 2004/5 and its been the best so far. Great phone. Seen a lot of people struggle with supposedly far superior phones.MonkeyPaw - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
Yeah, I still have fond memories of the G4. Took awesome pictures, had a nice display, and battery live seemed pretty good. I loved the rear buttons, and when LG abandoned those, I saw no reason to stick with them. Their phones are just like all the others now.anactoraaron - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
You've had over 2 stirling years with a phobe that was released in May 2015? How's that possible? I got my G4 the day it came out, actually the day before the official release, and for me that was May 2nd 2015.I agree though, the G4 was a solid phone. I've not experienced any bootloops. It isn't a perfect device, the screen is too blue, and LG has a terrible reputation with security and version updates. The June security update the G4 got looks to be the last update that phone will get. Even Samsung has a better track record with updates...
The G6 is too conservative to sell well, and without any real differentiation to it's competitors (eg removable battery, IR blaster, etc.) it will be ignored by the masses.
anactoraaron - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
Correction. June 2nd. Thought it was May but I was wrong. It was June.UtilityMax - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
I never hear anyone complaining about the lack of replaceable battery outside of "geek-tech" forums. I have never met a real life person who told me that replaceable battery is a consideration. Most don't even know whether the battery it replaceable or not.Stochastic - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
That doesn't mean this isn't a valid concern. One reason most people haven't worried too much about replaceable batteries until now might be that their carriers subsidized phone upgrades every two years. The degradation a Lithium Ion battery experiences in two years isn't severe enough to justify a battery replacement. But if you plan on keeping your phone for 3+ years, this is something that matters IMO.philehidiot - Monday, February 27, 2017 - link
Thoroughly agree. I don't necessarily see on the fly swappable batteries as being that important now there's such a good range of portable chargers. But I would say that ensuring the battery can be readily replaced either by a skilled end user or by a phone repair shop is a damned good idea as it negates the biggest issue with sealed batteries - degradation.Maxpower2727 - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
This is a metal-backed phone.Klug4Pres - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
From the review:"The chassis is still aluminum, with internal bracing to increase rigidity, but there’s a piece of glass covering the plastic back with a brushed aluminum finish below."
neo_1221 - Monday, February 27, 2017 - link
That's a very confusing sentence. Am I correctly reading that the back is plastic that looks like aluminum, with glass covering it?Klug4Pres - Sunday, March 5, 2017 - link
It is a bit confusing. I found this teardown on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX0nd8VwiVwAt around the 2 minute mark, you can observe that the backpanel is entirely glass. The finish is a coating on the underside of the glass. So it seems there is a metal frame and a glass back. No plastic except inside the phone where various internal components are mounted on a plastic inserts.
jabber - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
Excellent. I'll pick one up in 12-18 months time.philehidiot - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
Really quite disappointed. I was very tempted to get one of these based on the leaks but two things ruin it for me - one, the glass back (although I would probably put it in a case so a drop might not shatter it) and then this hardware fragmentation for different markets. I was really excited by the attention paid to the audio as it's such a disappointment on so many smartphones and then they do this. You have to wonder if it's a patent issue or something. Are they going to build all the phones the same and then just disable features like some CPUs and GPUs? Regardless, it's gonna slow down updates.I can understand wireless charging a little more but given the shelf life of this phone is 2-3 years I'd have hoped they'd be designing one that'll support this as it becomes more popular. I had wireless charging on my palm pre and it was good. That was one fine phone, actually.
Maxpower2727 - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
This phone has a metal back.philehidiot - Monday, February 27, 2017 - link
Review says otherwise, maybe it looks metal but it's specified as gorilla glass 5 for the back and 3 for the front (why?!).negusp - Monday, March 6, 2017 - link
Ignore the troll, he/she can't read. Wireless charging doesn't function through metal anyway.Michael Bay - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
First read is as a waterproof display.zeeBomb - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
Nice. The G5 (2017) looks great.10basetom - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
It seems like LG is turning into the Nintendo of smartphones: function over specs. This phone becomes even better for people living in Asia since they can get the 64GB + DAC model.Aerodrifting - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
Shame, G2 was a great phone, They never should have gone 1440P on G3 which killed battery life and performance while offered no significant improvement over the screen. Actually G3 screen was worse because the brightness was lower. From that point it's a downward spiral, G5 removed those back buttons which made the phone stood out, Now G6 comes with subpar hardware...Stochastic - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
I second the "meh" reaction from everyone else. The only thing that can salvage this phone is reasonable pricing ($400-$450) and we all know that isn't going to happen.zodiacfml - Sunday, February 26, 2017 - link
This looks going to be expensive for the first month till the availability of the S8.