LG G4 Stylus, G4c: G4 in name, mid-range in nature

Like before, LG is going to squeeze out every bit that it can from a winning name. Just as the LG G3 last year had almost half a dozen devices bearing its name, none of which even comes close to the flagship's specs, so to the LG G4. Although it already has an LG G Stylo, LG is announcing a rebrand of the stylus-bearing smartphone named, of course, the G4 Stylus. And the LG G4c we saw leaked last week is also now official. Both squarely aimed at the mid-range market.

LG's "Stylus" line is becoming what the Galaxy Note series is to Galaxy S flagships, but with one important difference: features. Unlike Samsung's Notes, the Styluses aren't equipped with the same or even higher specs than the current LG flagship. The G4 Stylus is simply a budget option with a stylus, specifically LG's own brand of "Rubberdium" Stylus that is simply its own take on the stubby capacitive poking instrument. The G4 Stylus is a phablet compared to the G4 itself, no doubt about that. But don't go looking for QHD or even Full HD here. That 5.7-inch screen can only boast of HD resolutions.

The LG G4 Stylus will be driven by a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor in LTE variants, while 3G-only ones will get a faster 1.3 GHz octa-core. RAM is capped at 1 GB and storage at 8 GB, the latter expandable with a microSD card. Thankfully like the flagship, the 3,000 mAh battery is removable. The 13 megapixel rear camera (for the LTE version, the 3G model only has 8 MP) is at least interesting thanks to the Laser Autofocus system that LG debuted in the LG G3. The 5 megapixels on the front camera will surely appeal to selfie lovers. Android 5.0 comes out of th box, along with a host of LG's custom User Experience features.

The G4c leak was pretty much spot on with the official sheet available now. The smaller 5.0-inch screen affords a higher pixel density given the HD resolution. It is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core chip, noted to be the 64-bit Snapdragon 410 in the leak. RAM is at 1 GB and storage at 8 GB, just like the G4 Stylus. The removable battery, however, is lower at 2,540 mAh. The rear camera is also slightly disappointing at 8 megapixels only, without the assistance of laser for focusing. The front camera, however, remains selfie-friendly.

The main purpose of these two devices, besides expanding LG's middle line and propagating the G4 brand, is to bring its custom UX, now at version 4.0, to those who otherwise couldn't afford the flagship. This means the set of features that include things likes Gesture Shot, Glance View and Knock Code. The two devices will be rolling out in the coming weeks, though specific markets have been mentioned. The G4 Stylus will come in Metallic Silver or Floral White, in 3G or in LTE, while the G4c only has an LTE version but choices of Metallic Gray, Ceramic White, and Shiny Gold. LG has not mentioned how much "exceptionally priced" smartphones would cost.

SOURCE: LG