We ThinQ should know about this phone.
From the Galaxy S10 to the Pixel 4, 2019 is going to be an intense year of competing Android flagships. There's a lot of phones we have to look forward to, one of which being the LG G8.
Last year's G7 was a solid handset that brought some unique ideas to the table, but it was ultimately overshadowed for not being able to stick out enough from its competitors.
Will LG be able to pull that off this year, or will we be met with more of the same?
Here's everything we know about the LG G8!
The latest LG G8 news
February 6 — LG G8 ThinQ to feature Time-of-Flight front-facting camera for next-gen AR/VR applications
Cameras have been getting all kinds of crazy in the last year, and while most of that insanity has focused on the rear-facing cameras, LG is partnering with Infineon Technologies to step up its selfie game with the LG G8 ThinQ — debuting at Mobile World Congress in less than three weeks — with "Time-of-Flight" technology.
Time-of-flight cameras use the speed of flight to calculate the distances of its subject, used in collision avoidance systems in cars, facial recognition, and machine vision in robots. Bringing time-of-flight imaging to the selfie camera on your smartphone could have a multitude of applications, from more accurate AR effects like Snapchat filters and the Galaxy S9's Animoji to better depth sensing for Portrait selfies to better "regular" selfies in less forgiving light situations.
LG's press release specifically mentioned facial-recognition and biometric uses for the LG G8 ThinQ's ToF selfie camera, which could hint at improved reliability for the G8's face unlock or iris recognition. Senior VP Chang Ma saig that "Keeping in mind LG's goal to provide real value to its mobile customers, our newest flagship was designed with ToF technology from inception to give users a unique and secure verification system without sacrificing camera capabilities."
We'll see Infineon's REAL3TM image sensor chip and the rest of the LG G8 ThinQ at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on February 24.
January 27 — Leaked press renders give us another look at the LG G8
After LG's global director of corporate communications denounced last week's renders as not real, a new press render of the device has surfaced on XDA Developers. The render shows off a device that's broadly in line with what we've seen last week, with a wide notch at the top of the display, curved edges, and dual cameras arranged horizontally at the back.
The cutout section at the top is missing the earpiece, with LG rumored to be working on a "Sound on Display" technology that transmits sound via vibrations across the surface of the screen. The device is also rumored to offer facial recognition via a dedicated camera sensor, and LG is also exploring a new gesture control interface.
January 22 — LG teases touchless gestures for the LG G8
LG is all set to unveil its next flagship on February 24, a day before MWC kicks off. If the latest teaser is any indication, the G8 will offer a gesture interface that doesn't need touch input. The video starts off with a piece of paper laid on a screen, and a hand gesture reveals the words "Goodbye Touch".
LG is rumored to be offering a new interface with the G8, and gesture control could be at the core of the experience. LG is also slated to debut a foldable phone alongside the G8 at MWC.
January 17, 2019 — LG refutes latest 'G8' renders
Update: LG's global director of corporate communications, Ken Hong, has strongly refuted these renders on Twitter, describing them as "not real," and replying "it isn't, trust me," to a blog post covering the "G8" CAD images.
Original post: Per yesterday's update, LG appears to be working on at least one variant of the G8 that'll have some sort of two display setup. However, new renders have revealed an LG phone by the codename of "Alpha" that may go to market as the LG G8. This model plays it safe with a much more traditional design.
The renders come from reliable leaker @OnLeaks, and as you can see, the device shown appears to be very similar to last year's G7. There's a screen with minimal bezels and a notch, rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and a sleek glass back. The dual cameras on the back aren't new, either, but they are now in a horizontal layout instead of a vertical one.
In regards to specs, we're told to expect a 6.1-inch display with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio and dimensions of 152 x 72 x 8.4mm.
January 16, 2019 — LG G8 may have two screens, or may have a second screen attachment
Two duelling rumors coming out of TechRadar and CNET today indicate that the LG G8 will indeed have two screens, but it won't be a foldable phone — at least not in the sense we've seen it from companies like Samsung and Royole.
Instead, according to TechRadar, the LG G8, or at least one variant of the phone, will have two distinct displays that fold on a hinge with barely-there bezels that form a single large 7-inch display when expanded. There will also reportedly be a small 3-inch display on the front for checking notifications and doing short-term activities on the phone. The design is reportedly reminiscent of the ill-fated ZTE Axon M, which debuted in mid-2017 to middling reviews thanks to a chunky, awkward design and software that didn't quite take advantage of the single large display.
CNET reports that the LG G8, or another LG phone, will launch with an optional "second screen" case that physically adds dual screen functionality to a single-screen phone. While it's not clear whether this case will be compatible with the regular G8 or something different altogether, CNET says that it will be distinct from the company's long-rumored foldable phone, which is also slated to arrive during MWC.
January 3, 2019 — The LG G8 will have "Sound on Display" technology
So here's an interesting rumor.
According to @OnLeaks, one of the more reliable leakers in the industry, the LG G8 will be outfitted with something called "Sound on Display" tech.
According to my sources, #LGG8 will feature Sound on Display (SoD) technology...
— Steve H.McFly (@OnLeaks) January 3, 2019
We aren't entirely sure what that means, but from the sound of it, the G8's display will be able to produce sound — potentially getting rid of standalone, traditional speakers.
What's your take on this?
June 6, 2018 — LG might equip the G8 with a 4K LCD display
Starting off the LG G8 rumor mill a bit early, Ice Universe recently shared the following on Twitter:
Rumors LG G8 Will Adopt 4K Resolution LCD Screen
— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) June 6, 2018
LG previously said that it reserves its AMOLED displays for its V series of phones, so it shouldn't come as any surprise that the G8 will once again opt for an LED panel for its display.
All the big details
What will the phone look like?
On January 17, trustworthy leaker @OnLeaks partnered with 91Mobiles to share the first batch of renders for the LG G8.
As you can see from the renders, the G8's design looks a lot like the one LG used last year for the G7. Just like the G7, the G8 has a glass back, notched display, rear fingerprint sensor, and dual cameras on the back. Also seen is a USB-C port for charging and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
There's talk of LG working on another model of the G8 that'll feature two displays, so the G8 we're seeing here may not be the only G-series flagship we're getting this year.
What specs will it have?
Once again, there's not a whole lot of info out there regarding the G8's specifications. We've put together the following spec list based on the latest rumors and things that just seem likely based on past LG releases, so take everything here with a grain of salt.
| Category | Spec |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 9 Pie |
| Display | 6.1-inch LCD 3120 x 1440 19.5:9 aspect ratio |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 |
| Rear Cameras | Three sensors |
| Audio | Sound on Display tech 3.5mm headphone jack |
| Charging | USB-C Qi wireless |
| Dimensions | 152 x 72 x 8.4mm |
When will the G8 be released?
Like everything else with the G8, its release date is also up in the air.
Last year's LG G7 was first announced on June 29, 2018, but that was quite a bit later compared to the G6 and G5 which were both unveiled in February at Mobile World Congress in 2017 and 2016, respectively.
What's LG going to do this year?
An announcement at Mobile World Congress isn't out of the question and seems fairly likely if LG wants to one-up Samsung which will be announcing its Galaxy S10 series just a week before this year's trade show on February 20.
How much is it going to cost?
As for the LG G8's price, don't expect it to be cheap.
Here's what pricing has been like for the last three G-series flagships:
- LG G5 — $650
- LG G6 — $650
- LG G7 — $750
The LG G8 could stick with the G7's starting price of $750 or increase things a bit to $800.
That'd still be cheaper than phones like the Note 9 and Pixel 3 XL either way, but if you're in the market for an affordable phone this year, the G8 probably isn't going to be for you.
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