Although it seemingly dragged its feet, LG has finally rolled out Android 9 Pie to its early 2018 flagship, the LG G7. That is, if you're lucky enough to be in Korea or using a Korean SKU. While the rest of the world will have to continue waiting, the update does include a notice on when other LG phones are expected to get the update. And that includes one we thought was already put to pasture.
If LG is planning to wow the crowd at MWC 2019, it will probably not be with the LG G8, most likely called the LG G8 ThinQ. That is if LG is still going to stick with the G naming. Its titular flagship, the G8, codenamed “Alpha”, is probably going to be positioned as the smartphone “for everyone else” that’s not interested in fancy foldable screens, sliders, or other gimmicks. But if the details that arrived together with these 3D renders are the real deal, consumers might have little reason to prefer the LG G8 over last year’s LG V40 ThinQ.
While Samsung seems to be content on putting out no less than four variants of its upcoming Galaxy S10 flagship (plus one foldable phone), it seems that LG will, instead, be casting its net wide. In addition to a not so foldable phone rumor that’s now being disputed, LG is also rumored to have yet another unconventional handset scheduled for this month. Rather of having a foldable screen or a second screen on its back, LG’s phone will instead have an optional screen you can attach like a case.
2019 is the year of the foldable phone. While only a few smartphone makers that can throw money around will be able to mass produce such devices, some manufacturers will, instead try to find ways to get around the costs that such a device would entail. LG’s rumored foldable phone might be one such example, utilizing two screens instead of a single foldable one. That is, if it could actually successfully pull it off.
LG may have a rollable OLED TV to release this year, but it risked overshadowing its own flagship with its incredible LG OLED Falls installation at CES 2019 this week. The latest in a line of Consumer Electronics Show demoes of the company's display prowess, it comes after the LG OLED Tunnel in 2017 and the LG OLED Canyon in 2018.
LG has recently been shown to actually be as bad or even worse than Samsung at pushing out updates, especially major Android ones. And as if to pour salt on LG users’ wounds, the company has very quietly not-announced that its two 2016 flagships, the LG G5 and LG V20, have reached the end of official software support. That basically means no Pie and no more security updates for the two phones that, at the time of their launch, seemed to be LG’s future.
Apple's decision to enable AirPlay 2 on TVs from Samsung, LG, and more may have reignited speculation that Apple TV momentum is fading, but owners of smart TVs are probably more interested in whether their models are in luck. Happily, there's now an official list of AirPlay 2-enabled TVs that you can consult.
The LG rollable TV is going on sale in 2019, and while you might be skeptical about the practical benefits of flexible, you can't help but be wowed when you see the screen in person. Shown off in production form at CES 2019 this week, the LG Signature OLED TV R can be both as expansive as a flagship 65-inch set, but as discreet as a chunky soundbar.
At CES 2019 we'll be seeing our fair share of speakers - but likely none so extravagant as these from LG. These are the latest LG XBOOM speakers and speaker systems, ready to roll for the first quarter of 2019. Included in the mix are a high-end LG XBoom OL100 single speaker and all-in-one as well as the LG XBoom CL98 mini system - so tiny!
Everything is becoming smarter these days. Not only that, they’re also becoming voice controlled. The latter feature is especially useful in cases where physical controls are inconvenient. And one of the most inconvenient control device is the TV remote, with its limited but confusing arrays of buttons. Which is why this year, LG is doubling its smart TVs’ intelligence with a fresh new ThinQ AI that supports both Google Assistant as well as the rivaling Amazon Alexa.
Samsung has earned the reputation of being slow with updates, especially major Android ones. It’s a less known dirty secret, however, that its compatriot and rival is actually just as bad. LG often prides itself for being the first to get this or that update but usually only for one specific phone. Its rate nosedives after that and takes just as long, or even longer, to push them out. Case in point, the company has just revealed the LG G7 ThinQ will be getting Android 9 Pie soon, with “soon” being any time between January and March.
It may not sound like it, but LG’s mobile business is actually in danger. It has been failing to make profits for quarters straight and has recently changed mobile business heads. With new leadership, the company is expected to quickly turn around and revamp its strategy and its portfolio. But based on reports of the company’s roadmap for 2019, it might not be as quick as some would hope it to be.