The successor to the impressive LG G3, which, as we noted in our review on Yahoo, is “as delightful as smartphones get,” is set to debut on April 28, according to The Verge. And with the aptly named LG G4 due to launch a few weeks from now, we thought today would be a great time to post a cheat sheet based on what we know so far about the top-billing Android challenger from the Korean manufacturer.
Design
Case-maker Spigen has all but confirmed what the G4 looks like by showing off a bunch of cases designed for the handset and listing them on its digital store and on Amazon U.S.
Judging from the product shots, it seems the phone has more in common with the LG G Flex 2 — which we saw at the 2015 International CES in Las Vegas — than its predecessor, though the photos also suggest the return of the rear-mounted power button and volume rocker, laser-guided auto-focus, and brushed finish on the back. An earlier teaser also hints at a leather or faux-leather back cover, which may imply the mobile has more than one variant.
As is the case with previous LG smartphones, the G4 will most likely embrace software navigation buttons that make Android easier to navigate, as opposed to backlit capacitive keys.
Display
LG has announced that its new 5.5-inch Quad HD LCD panel will be used in a “forthcoming flagship smartphone to be unveiled at the end of the month,” which clearly indicates the company is talking about the G4.
The display size and resolution are the same for both the G4 and G3, but if we are to take LG’s marketing talk about the strides it has made on the display-technology front seriously, this year’s top-shelf G smartphone should deliver clearer, brighter, and more vivid images without blowing a huge hole in the phone’s battery life.
Don’t expect a smartphone with a flexible display, though; that won’t appeal to mainstream users, and LG knows that all too well.
[youtube link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZdWPqpVbEk” width=”560″ height=”315″]
LG G4’s official teaser video
Camera
The LG G4 is said to have a 16-megapixel rear camera featuring f/1.8 aperture, barely edging out the f/1.9 lens of the Samsung Galaxy S6. The wide aperture should allow you to shoot in low light at a faster shutter speed, as well as blur the background with a shallow depth of field effect. The front camera has been supposedly bumped up to 8 megapixels because people clearly love taking selfies — and who wouldn’t want sharper mugs on Instagram?
Specs and software
If previous generations of the G lineup are any indication, LG’s G4 will likely ship with the latest and greatest Qualcomm Snapdragon chip for mobile devices. In this case, it’s the Snapdragon 810 processor, the same one inside the G Flex 2, but nothing has been confirmed yet. Storage and RAM configurations should go all the way up to 32GB and 3GB, respectively, similar to the second-gen G Flex and last year’s G3. As for the G4’s operating system, we’d bet our bottom peso it runs Android Lollipop out of the box. (RL)
RAMON LOPEZ’S TAKE: Since the days of the Optimus G, LG has been treating us to impressive flagship phones year after year, and I’m positive the G4 will be just as memorable, if not more so, than its predecessors. The electronics giant is building on an already excellent device in the G3, after all.
I’m positive the LG G4 will be just as memorable, if not more so, than its predecessors.
With a ludicrous screen density, beefier specs, and a more souped-up camera that uses lasers (yes, lasers!), the LG G4 could provide serious competition in the mobile segment.
I’m hoping LG hasn’t reached its ‘Samsung Galaxy S4’ moment just yet.
ALORA UY GUERRERO’S TAKE: Has LG reached its “Samsung Galaxy S4 moment,” aka that time a phone-maker starts to bore you? Because HTC has with the M9. Or is LG still far from reaching the peak? I’m hoping for the latter. The more money-worthy handsets there are on the market, the merrier. The stiffer the competition, the better for consumers. Let’s all cross our fingers and toes, shall we?
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