What the LG G4 Has in Store for Smartphone Buyers

By Don Reisinger

Although LG’s top competitors in the Android space have screen sizes that range between 5 and 5.1 inches, the G4 is expected to ship with a 5.5-inch display to match the iPhone 6 Plus. There has been a sense over the last year that Android devices have gotten too big, which is why Samsung and HTC went with smaller displays. LG obviously doesn’t see it the same way. Image 1: Please use this image:

One of the surprising things about the image leaks is that the LG G4—assuming that device in those pictures is in fact the real G4—looks an awful lot like its predecessor, the G3. LG is using different materials in its new handset, but from a pure design perspective, its rounded corners and footprint look similar to the previous model.

Removable batteries were once everywhere but now are quite rare. According to the recent leaks, however, the G4 will come with a 3,000mAh removable battery. That feature will be ideal for busy, traveling workers who don’t always have easy access to an outlet to charge their device and are willing to carry around extra battery packs.

When Samsung announced the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge in March, the company surprised many people by unveiling an all-metallic design. LG might surprise people as well with a version of the G4 that comes with a leather back plate. While the other G4 model will come with plastic, the leather will prove to be the major selling point.

LG is expected to make a fuss about the camera built into the G4. The device will come with a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera and an aperture of f1.8. Most importantly, LG’s G4 will reportedly come with a “color spectrum sensor” that will enhance image quality. Look for LG to spend considerable time talking about its G4 rear-facing camera.

There has been some debate over the last few months over whether the G4 will come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 or with the faster and more powerful Snapdragon 810. Until recently, all signs pointed to an 808, but the image leaks seem to indicate that the G4 will boast the 810 instead. That’s good news for prospective buyers looking for extra power.

The LG G4 will come with a physical button on the back near the rear-facing camera. It’s unclear exactly how that button will be used, but there’s a good chance that it’ll play a central role in the way people interact with the software and unlock the device. That said, it’s unlikely, given LG’s recent comments about not wanting to jump into fingerprint sensors, that it’ll come with biometric support.

LG has already confirmed that the G4 will come with a new version of the company’s Android skin, UX 4.0. According to LG, UX 4.0 will be easier to use than the previous version of the company’s software and will add a Smart Notice feature that will deliver personalized notifications that adapt to a user’s habits. The platform will also have a Ringtone ID feature that will automatically provide a unique ringtone for every caller in a person’s favorites list.

Whether it’s the hardware or the software, there isn’t much that is groundbreaking in the G4. The device’s UX 4.0 is a nice upgrade, but not a major one and, as mentioned, the hardware looks nearly identical to the previous model. LG has only updated the internal components without adding anything too radical. LG has likely played it safe with the G4, which may or may not hurt the company’s chances of building up its sales success.

According to several reports, LG knows that the G4 is not a major upgrade in the same vein as the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. Therefore, the company is planning to market the G4 at a lower price to try to win some customers away from its competitors. LG has all but given up the feature war in order to win on price. It should be interesting to see if the strategy works.