The LG G4 missed MWC 2015 but we will see it on April 28, so the wait is almost over. It
should be worth the wait too, with talk of a premium new design, a
super-sharp display and a whole lot of power. Plus this is the company
which brought us the LG G Flex 2, so a curved screen is never entirely off the table.
With the Samsung Galaxy S6 and HTC One M9 out the way LG G4 rumors are heating up and flooding in and we're hopeful that it can stand up to such tough competition. Cut to the chase
What is it? LG's next flagship smartphone
When is it out? Will be announced on April 28
What will it cost? It will command a high, flagship price - but cheaper than the competition
LG G4 release date We've received an invite
for an LG announcement on April 28 and it doesn't mess around with what
we can expect, stating "LG invites you to the official unveiling of LG
G4." You're not going to get clearer than that.
Of
course it could be a few weeks or more after that before the LG G4
actually lands in shops, so don't expect to be able to buy it before
May. Though if you can't wait that long you could always apply to take
one for a 30 day test drive.
LG G4 design There
have been a number of potential sightings of the LG G4 - and now with
the invite to its launch event confirming the camera and sensor setup on
the rear it looks like a lot of the following leaks are pretty close to
the mark. No sign of that leather finish though. We first caught a glimpse
of the G4 in the wild a while ago, as a metal-backed LG phone was
snapped. It was a little on the large side though and appeared to have a
stylus, which suggested it could be the LG G4 Note.
It's still unclear whether the G4 will have a metal body or not. Some rumors say yes while others say no. The event invite suggests leather - so your guess is as good as ours.
The LG G4 is almost with us, and case makers are already selling protective covers.
If they're an accurate fit then you can expect a return of the laser
autofocus and dual-LED flash found on the LG G3 judging by the cut-outs.
We've also seen several press renders,
supposedly showing a non-final version of the handset, with a curved
back, a large camera lens (check) and dimensions of 148.9 x 76.5 x
9.9mm, which oddly would make it bigger than the LG G3. It also seems to
have the same metal-effect casing.
That last bit clashes with a previous rumor though, as LG's mobile chief Juno Cho has stated
that the G4 will be "radically different" to anything that's come
before, with those changes including a metal casing rather than a
polycarbonate one. Another case render has also further cemented the claim LG will be keeping the rear power button and volume rocker on the G4.
In this leaked case render from Versus you can spot the buttons underneath the camera but it doesn't give a full look at the uni-body the phone is rumoured to have.
LG G4 screen LG has teased the G4's screen
in a video, revealing that it has a QHD IPS Quantum Display, which is
25% brighter and has a 20% wider color range than the display on the LG
G3.
The LG G4 might also have a bigger display than the LG G3, as @OnLeaks claims it will come in at 5.6 inches. It also looks like the LG G4 will have an ever so slightly curved screen, as @OnLeaks attempted to prove with the drawing of a very straight line over a leaked press image.
Additionally
it seems almost guaranteed that the LG G4 will have a QHD 1440 x 2560
display, as an official teaser lists it as QHD and before that both a user agent profile page and an html5test result suggested as much.
It could also be goodbye bezel
on the LG G4, as the South Korean firm has launched a display with a
super slender 0.7mm of fat around its perimeter. The screen in question
measures 5.3 inches, which is a jot smaller than the 5.5-inch G3, though
given other rumors point to a 5.6-inch screen we wouldn't count on it.
The LG G3 has 1.15mm of bezel either side of the screen, so this new display if used could make the G4 look visually stunning.
LG G4 rivals As a flagship Android phone the LG G4 will have the Samsung Galaxy S6 as a major rival and if it ends up being curved then it could also have some direct competition from the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.
Of course the HTC One M9 will give it a run for its money too with its stylish build and similar specs to those the G4 is rumored to pack. The Sony Xperia Z4, which may well arrive at a similar time to the LG G4, could give it pause for thought as well.
Then there's always the iPhone 6 and the looming threat of the iPhone 6s for anyone not married to Android. In short the LG G4 is going to have some serious competition.
LG G4 camera Rumours
had been swirling about the snapper that LG will include with the G4,
but on April 9 an official announcement was made, giving us a clear look
at the camera of the LG G4.
A brand new camera module
has been created that features an aperture of f/1.8, which according to
LG makes it the "widest aperture camera developed for a smartphone".
In
plain English this means the LG G4 should be excellent at taking
photographs in low light conditions, allowing 80% more light in than the
LG G3,
as well as less blur when taking photos of fast moving objects. You can
see the results for yourself in LG's teaser video below.
The
LG G4's camera will also be boosted from the 13MP resolution of the LG
G3 to 16MP. Further information was later revealed, with the LG G4's
camera coming with an impressive six-layer lens that is twice the size
of the one found in the LG G3.
An ultra-thin 0.1mm blue
IR filter will also be included to help give photos a natural look with
accurate colours by blocking out infrared interference.
A
new and improved front-facing camera has also been announced that will
feature an impressive 8 megapixel resolution, the highest resolution for
a "selfie" camera that LG has produced.
LG G4 OS and power LG has confirmed that the G4 will run the newly announced UX 4.0.
This includes a new Quick Shot feature, allowing you to take a photo
even when the screen is off, a Smart Alert, which makes activity
suggestions based on the weather forecast, a Smart Board, which combines
information from multiple apps into a single widget, and an expert
camera mode for serious snappers.
The LG G4 is also bound to run Android 5.0 Lollipop straight out of the box, which is good news if you want a handset that comes with Google's latest mobile operating system.
Surprisingly the LG G4 might pass on the Snapdragon 810 and use the weaker Snapdragon 808 instead, if a benchmark
believed to be from the LG G4 is to be believed. It could be true
though as the Snapdragon 810 reportedly suffers from overheating issues.
Alongside that it's shown with a meaty 3GB of RAM.
Though that flies in the face of earlier rumors, which suggested that the LG G4 would sport a Snapdragon 810 processor and 3GB of RAM. That had seemed likely, given that the HTC One M9 has arrived with exactly those specs and even the LG G Flex 2 uses the Snapdragon 810.
LG G4 other features One particularly spurious LG G4 rumor
suggests we may see a fingerprint scanner on the back of the handset.
This would seemingly be a last minute decision and LG officials have
denied the rumor, but with Samsung and Apple both including them in
their flagships there's a possibility that LG could follow suit.
There is also a suggestion that the LG G4 may pack a stylus
in its body, but we'd be surprised if LG put this on its core flagship
device. It's probably something that will arrive with a variant, like
the LG G3 Stylus.
China's sites eToday claimed that Google's Technicians came to the LG Research and Development Laboratories. As we know that place is for build a partial component like Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and Wireless Power Charge module. So, is this for new generation of Nexus?
eToday reported that the Google's Technicians to the LG Base is a part for a new project, "N000" a code name for Nexus 7.
In May 2015, Google prepare for their big Event I/O 2015. In that conferences, Google will introduce their new Nexus phone. So we'll wait until the event, is it true or not?
Sony Mobile today announced that the Xperia ZL is available for preorder
from the Sony Mobile web store. The ZL was announced at CES in January
and is a slightly smaller version of the Xperia Z. It loses the Z's
water resistance, changes the back shell, and adds a physical camera
button.
The ZL includes support for various LTE frequencies, including
those used by AT&T in the U.S. The ZL features a 5-inch FHD display,
13-megapixel camera with HDR video capture, and quad-core 1.5GHz
Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. Sony is offering the Xperia ZL for $759,
as well as a penta-band HSPA+ version for $719. The Xperia ZL is being
sold with no contract.
How daring do you feel? We ask this because a list has leaked and it is a
very important list for those who are totin' Samsung's mobile devices.
According to a Samsung insider, this list names those devices from the
Korean manufacturer that will be moving on to Android 5.0 (Key Lime Pie). The list also includes those devices who will come to the end of the line with Android 4.2.2.
Only 5 devices are moving ahead to Key Lime Pie, although there are a
number of different variants of each device. Are you ready? Dim the
lights, here we go.
Let's start with those that are moving on to Android 5.0. First, we have the Samsung Galaxy S III and Samsung Galaxy S III LTE (GT-I9300, GT-I9305). No surprise here. Also not a surprise is the inclusion of the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE (GT-I9500, GT-I9505). Three variants of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 (GT-N5100) are in line to receive Key Lime Pie including the LTE and Wi-Fi model (GT-N5105, GT-N5110). Also on the list is the Samsung GALAXY Note II (GT-N7100) and the Samsung GALAXY Note II LTE (GT-N7105). Lastly, Android 5.0 is supposedly coming to the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 LTE and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Wi-Fi (GT-N8000, GT-N8005, GT-N8010).
Keep
in mind that this is a leaked pre-list and is not written in stone.
Stranger things have happened than seeing the Samsung Galaxy S II get a
last second reprieve.
LG's late 2012 flagship smartphone, the LG Optimus G, has sold more
than 1 million units worldwide. On the same day that the company confirmed the milestone to Yonhap,
news of a successor to the phone has already emerged. Engadget has
posted a leaked slide from an anonymous tipster that supposedly shows
the upcoming Optimus G Pro. Coupled with information seen on Blog
Mobile, the leak reportedly reveals what to expect when LG debuts its
first major Android smartphone of 2013.
The LG Optimus G Pro is rumored to have a 5-inch display with 1080p
resolution, a 1.7 GHz quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB of internal
storage, LTE connectivity, and a 3,000 mAh battery. The phone is also
said to have a 13 megapixel camera and a 2.4 megapixel front-facing
camera. The Optimus G Pro is designed for release in Japan, but
considering that competing phones from Samsung and HTC have established
comparable specs, it's likely that LG will bring a phone with these
hardware features to the North American and European markets as well.
LG has not managed to capture much market share in the Android
ecosystem, but the company has dedicated itself to becoming a bigger
player in the smartphone industry. The Optimus G managed to sell about
250,000 units per month since its release in September, and an enhanced
follow-up of the phone could increase that momentum in the next product
cycle
Samsung has confirmed that it is now updating three of its Android
tablets, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 and both Wi-Fi models of the
Galaxy Tab 2, to the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean firmware. The update also
enhances its S Pen stylus and Premium Suite software features. The Wi-Fi
versions of the Galaxy Note 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 2, both the 10.1 -inch
screen and 7-inch screen versions, should see improved performance and
speed with Android 4.1. Once users update their device through Samsung
Kies or navigating to Settings > About tablet > Software update,
the following features will be made available:
Cascade View: The feature allows users to freely resize, move and
pin selected applications in multiple views, running them
simultaneously or while operating the home-screen. This PC-like feature
will help users to be more productive, and actually do multiple tasks at
one time.
Air View: Allows users to use S Pen to conveniently and quickly
preview content without having to open it. This feature allows user to
preview video while scrubbing, preview email attachments without
opening, preview photos without opening the album, and more.
Quick Command: With Quick Command, the S Pen quickly activates
applications and services that are used most often by allowing you to
write command shortcuts using customized and preset S Pen strokes.
Enhanced handwriting: Users can quickly and easily send
personalized handwritten notes and memos to friends and family via
email, as well as hand-write directly into their S Planner
Enhanced S Note: S Note now features additional ready-to-use
templates; allows users to add effects to their digital content with
Idea Sketch; and enables the insertion of video directly into not only
Note templates but also other templates. Users can also launch S Note
directly from their home-screen for added convenience.
Easy Clip: Allows users to select and clip content to save, paste or share in seconds.
Photo Note: Add personalized handwritten notes on the back of your photos to help capture the moment.
Paper Artist: Besides enabling users to enliven sketches or
content with different color or pencil styles, Paper Artist enables over
30 artistic effects that can be applied to images or media. Users can
also draw or write onto the content and share it with others.
A smarter S Pen: The S Pen now allows users to select writing or
color modes at the touch of a button, or unlock the home-screen simply
by removing the S Pen.
LG is suddenly rather talkative about what's going on with supplies of the Nexus 4, a phone it makes in partnership with Google that's harder to find by the hour.
Following comments
allegedly made by an LG spokesperson to a Korean site that there was
nothing on LG's end causing the handset hold up, Cathy Robin, director
of mobile communications for LG France, chatted with Challenges.fr about the 4's supply issues.
"Supply
problems are not necessarily completely related to LG," Robin, as
translated by Google, said. The issue, at least to some degree, has to
do with poor math by Mountain View.
"Google has presented
forecasts calculated according to their previous sales history of Nexus.
But they have been less [in] demand."
Regional differences
LG continues to make Nexus 4 deliveries on a regular basis, Robin continued, but "it is lean."
According
to Robin, the supply problems are at least partially to blame on
inaccurate country-by-country allocations of the handset. France, for
example, got too few phones while too many were sent to the U.K. and
Germany.
Despite what can't be a pleasant time for either
company's customer service or PR departments, Robin said there's no bad
blood between LG and Google and the relationship between the two is
"going smoothly."
That's a little surprising, considering not just what LG has said but the comments its comrade has made.
In December, Dan Cobley, Google UK and Ireland's managing director, took to Google+ to write:
"Supplies from the manufacturer are scarce and erratic, and our
communication has been flawed. I can offer an unreserved apology for our
service and communication failures in this process."
While Cobley
doesn't quite lay it on LG, the implication is that the latter was an
unreliable manufacturer and difficult to talk to about what was holding
up phone orders. There's blame on Google's end, but hey, look to the
other guy.
It certainly feels like Samsung is taking over the world right now –
at least, the Android world. There's no doubt that last year's Galaxy S2 was arguably the phone of the year.
And
not in recent times, discounting Apple of course, can we remember the
anticipation and expectation of a phone as much as the Galaxy S3. If
you needed a barometer of this, just look at how it was unveiled. Not
at MWC like lots of others, but its own event, proving the Galaxy line
has reached the level where it can guarantee hoards will come just for
an unveiling.
The name was even 'confirmed' at a recent event by a researcher, which means it's coming closer and closer to reality.
But
that's last season's device, and we're looking forward to the next
level of what to expect in the Galaxy SIV. The trickle of 'sources'
talking about this new device is starting to build to a steady stream,
so we're on hand to help let you know which whispers have a notion of
truth about them - as well as providing our wishlist of what we want
Samsung to improve on the new handset.
Samsung Galaxy S4 screen
The
Galaxy S2 had an amazing Super AMOLED Plus display – and boy, was it
vibrant. The S3 upped the screen size from 4.3-inches to 4.8-inches and
the pixel density went from 217 to 306 to take a run at the iPhone's
Retina Display.
But, Samsung also opted for a PenTile approach, to the chagrin of geeks. What does that mean for the end user?
Well,
the screen looks great but you can make out pixels if you really,
really strain. And some of the vivacity and colour saturation is lost.
On the plus side, Samsung reckons the screen will last longer – but we'd
rather see a much more S2-like screen with a sharper resolution - and
given that's now appeared on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, we're pretty
hopeful we'll get it on the Samsung Galaxy S4 too.
Alternatively,
there have been a number of rumours that Samsung is going to bring a
flexible screen to the Galaxy S4 - but given the Korean brand is already pushing the delivery of such tech back into 2013 for its customers, we think we'll be in Galaxy S5 territory before that happens.
Update: that dream could be closer to reality after the pretty likely screen for the Samsung Galaxy S4 was shown off by Samsung Display
at CES 2013, featuring a 4.99-inch screen with a Full HD pixel count
and a dizzying 440PPI resolution, which is set to ship in Q1 2013...
also known as the perfect time frame for manufacturing the S4.
However,
the bad news is that due to reported manufacturing issues these may
have been delayed... does that mean the phone will have to be pushed
back as well?
A source for the Verge suggests that the flexible display option really is out of the question, with no Galaxy S device sporting the new screen tech in 2013, although it will be shown off as a concept at the Vegas smorgasbord of gadgetry.
There
seems a much more likely option in the shape of the 5-inch 1080p screen
that could offer up an eye-splitting 441ppi, making it easily the
highest res out there. It would probably need to be shrunk down a smidge
to fit into the palm, or Samsung could actually just make the phone
even closer to the edges of the screen. Dare we dream of an edge-to-edge
display like on the 9000 series TVs?
Samsung Galaxy S4 release date
It seems more than likely that
Samsung will eschew MWC 2013 once more for the release of its top
handset, instead focusing on the launch in May 2013, which we'd really
like to see. A recent teaser by Samsung promised something at CES in
January, but this is really rather unlikely - although apparently the
brand showed off prototypes to key execs from networks and supply
chain-ers. This is for a number of reasons: time to allow the
current customers to buy the S3, being able to scoop up all the
customers about to come out of contract from the S2 and also not making
its fans feel like its throwing out a new flagship phone every three
seconds.
However, that didn't stop the rumour mill deciding that the Galaxy S4
launch was set for March 2013, based on something a Samsung
'representative' said to the media. The brand quickly took to Twitter to discredit the rumours, so it looks like the middle of the year launch is still firmly on the cards.
Since then another rumour, of a phone dubbed 'Project J',
has emerged, and that's set for an April unveil... so it seems we're
looking at a Q2 2013 Samsung Galaxy S4 launch as it stands, which means
you'll probably be able to actually hold one in your hands come May, and
it will likely be given the model number of GT-I9500, which is leap from GT-I9300 but has been confirmed as likely legit when showing up in firmware versions, as well as on Samsung's official software page.
Another
source has written off the chance of the Galaxy S4 appearing at CES
2013 and MWC 2013 - giving the suggestion that an April event is on the
cards more weight.
Update:New sources,
apparently Samsung's Korean execs themselves, are touting an April
Samsung Galaxy S4 release... and it will even come with an S Pen
accessory too! However, this seems unlikely given it's only currently
used on the Note range, so a boring C Pen upgrade could be all that's on
the cards. Samsung Lebanon has weighed in too, revealing that
it's not coming in the next three months: "The Galaxy SIV won't be
released before May 2013," the brand said, rather emphatically - despite
some sites carrying news that an anonymous exec was claiming March as
the release date and the venue for launch was going to be in the US, UK
or South Korea.
Samsung Galaxy S4 specs
There's not a lot
around about specs at the moment, but the rumours emanating from the
good ol' internet rumour mill are certainly enough to make us excited.
The first is that the S4 will have a quad-core chip, which might sound a little 'last gen' to many. However, it will be based on ARM's A15 architecture, bringing with it a big boost in power for all those resource-intensive tasks we love to do all the time.
But then again, that's not Samsung's way really, is it? We want to see bigger, bangier and faster, so doubling it again to an OCTO-core would be the way to go.
Rather
than just making it super powerful though, the eight core innards would
split into two groups: A15-spec chips for the big stuff, and A7 when
things need to get a little lower power, bringing with it the best of
both worlds.
The other big news that we think should be on our
wish list is the fact that Samsung's internal storage bods have been
hard at work bringing the flash memory down in size and up in speed...
so think even thinner phones with higher capacity that can be written
to up to 10x faster. We're now looking forward to the S4 even more now.
A quad-core processor looks more likely
than an eight core offering after the new Exynos 5440 quad-core chip
appeared on Samsung's site, making it a strong contender to feature in
the Galaxy S4.
Update: Actually it looks like there really could be an eight core phone coming from the Korean firm, as the Exynos Octa was announced at CES 2013 complete with four big cores and four smaller ones, as part of ARM's big.LITTLE architecture. Eight cores. Mental.
Samsung Galaxy S4 operating system
What's
the good word here? Well, given the time scales involved, we'd fully
expect to see the Galaxy S4 running a more mature version of Android
4.2, better known as Android Jelly Bean, as well as the next generation
of TouchWiz skin on top.
There are some more daft rumours floating around, namely that the Samsung Galaxy S4 will run off a different operating system called Tizen, simply because Samsung is using it on other phones.
Don't worry, this won't happen...although a variant of the phone could be used as a blueprint for a decent alternative handset.
More
likely is Samsung bringing out the Galaxy S4 to coincide with the next
version of Android from Google, called Key Lime Pie.
April would
be roughly the time we'd start seeing rumours of such things, so it's
not unbelievable that you could buy an S4 with a cutting edge OS. In
truth, we've never really seen this happen from the Koreans, so chances
are it will be boring old Jelly Bean when your S4 appears in your
hands.
Samsung Galaxy S4 battery
Ok, we admit we always
want more. The S2's 1,650mAh was manageable and the S3's 2,100mAh blows
that out of the water. But it's still only OK. You can get by on a
day of moderate use but if you use this phone heavily (and we're
talking watching TV shows on the morning and evening commute alongside
your normal tinkering), this handset will still want a plug in at some
point.
Motorola has proven it can be done by whacking a 3,300mAh power pack into the RAZR Maxx
which can still be considered a skinny Minnie. Something of that size –
along with ICS and Samsung's power management abilities – would really
be the icing on the Ice Cream Sandwich.
Samsung Galaxy S4 camera
What's
that? You're bored of an 8MP camera on the Samsung Galaxy S3 since
you've seen the likes of the Sony Xperia Z popping up with a 13MP
snapper attached?
Well, good news everyone: a picture supposedly captured from the S4 hints at an at least 10MP
camera, according a snap shown on Picasa. Remember, EXIF data can be
faked though, so there's every chance this amazingly well-framed photo
is just the work of a chancer hoping to jump on the S4 bandwagon:
Samsung Galaxy S4 design
We've lost count of the amount of
people we've shown our device off to who've replied with the words:
"Yeah, it's great but looks like a bit of a toy." It's a double-edged
sword: the plastic is used to keep this handset nice and light, but does
detract from what should be a premium device.
A bit of glass
wouldn't go amiss. Android users, say what you like about the iPhone
4/4S (and we know you won't be short of words), but aside from being
smash-tastic, the glass really adds that premium and expensive feel that
the S3 just doesn't have.
Forget what your mum told you – it's
what's on the outside that counts too, so the Samsung Galaxy S4 needs to
step it up in the design stakes. We've now had the first in what
we expect to be many leaked shots claiming to be the Samsung Galaxy S4 -
and it isn't filling us with a huge amount of confidence as it could
quite easily be a mash up between the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2.
Reports from Samsung's Korean homeland have claimed that the company is planning an even larger version of its Galaxy Note smartphone-cum-tablet. According
to the Korea Times, the Galaxy Note 3 will have a whopping 6.3-inch
display, compared with the already-massive 5.5-inch screen on the popular Galaxy Note 2 phablet.
The report also suggests that the world's leading smartphone manufacturer will use the device to introduce its next-generation eight-core Exynos Octa processor later this year.
The
Note 2 packs a quad-core Exynos chip, which is by no means a slouch,
but the new unit would provide even more power and, importantly
considering the larger screen, enhanced battery life.
China-bound
Interesting,
the Korea Times report also revealed that Samsung is pitching its
processing products to smartphone manufacturers in China, in order to
lessen its reliance on Apple.
The company has already reached out to the likes of Huawei and ZTE who're beginning to make strides in the west.
A
senior Samsung official is reported to have said at CES: "We have
introduced the Exynos 5 Octa to appeal to Chinese clients and diversify
our client base in China with better pricing and output commitment." An
unnamed Huawei official confirmed the companies are in talks. He said:
"Yes, we were approached by Samsung. If the firm offers favorable
conditions, there's no reason to deny the new business."
Samsung is believed to be concerned that its legal squabbles with Apple may result in the company looking elsewhere for the chips that power its iOS gadgets.
Netflix leads the premium video subscription pack, but Redbox and Verizon have teamed up to challenge for the crown. Redbox Instant
is an on-demand streaming and rental service that provides an online
and mobile component to the popular red kiosks that rent DVD's for low
prices, but will the streaming model prove as useful or popular? Here's a
hands-on video of Redbox Instant for Android and iPhone.
