LG Q6 Delivers High-End Design at Midrange Prices

LG Electronics’ G6 was called one of the best smartphones released this year. But it will soon have a lower-cost alternative sitting next to it on store shelves. That alternative is the LG Q6, which the Korea-based company unveiled July 11. The smartphone features the same design as the higher-end G6, but has a far more affordable price. In return for a lower price, however, smartphone shopper can expect to find a smartphone that isn’t as powerful as the G6. LG has also cut corners on the size of the smartphone’s display and its rear-facing camera. The LG Q6 comes in three versions, all of which might appeal to people looking for midranged priced smartphones. Read on to learn more about the LG Q6.

There is a good reason why the LG Q6 looks familiar to smartphone cognoscenti. It has the same design as the LG G6, a high-end handset released earlier this year. The LG Q6 has a screen that nearly entirely covers its face and a virtual button on the phone’s touch-screen. But the Q6 is slightly smaller than the G6.

The LG G6 comes with a high-end Qualcomm processor, but that’s not the case in the Q6. LG has bundled a Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 chip in the Q6, which is far less powerful than today’s top-of-the-line chip, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835. Still, most basic apps and games should work fine on the Q6.

The LG Q6 has a 5.5-inch full-HD display, making it one of the larger screens in the midrange smartphone market. The screen will feature a full-HD+ resolution of 2,160 by 1,080 with 442 pixels per inch. The smartphone should offer solid visual performance, even for a midrange device.

LG didn’t say exactly how much battery life users can expect from the Q6. However, the company noted the smartphone comes with a 3,000mAh battery, which, coupled with efficiencies built into its software and the Snapdragon 435 processor, should be enough to deliver all-day battery life.

The Q6 will ship with Android 7.1.1 Nougat, the latest version of Google’s mobile operating system. The smartphone will come with all the standard Android fare, LG said, including Google’s Chrome and Play apps. On the virtual assistant side, users will have access to Google Assistant, the search giant’s answer to Apple Siri and Microsoft Cortana virtual assistants.

In what appears to be a growing trend, the LG Q6 will join the large number of devices that now support facial recognition. The handset’s front-facing camera will be used to scan a person’s face and unlock the device, authenticate certain apps and more. Even Apple is rumored to be planning the feature in this year’s new iPhone.

Likely a move to reduce costs, LG included only a single rear-facing camera in the Q6. Most higher-end handsets—and even some lower-end models—today come with a dual-lens, rear-facing camera array. The LG Q6, however, will offer a “standard angle” 13-megapixel camera; in other words, a standard rear-facing shooter.

Interestingly, LG noted the LG Q6 comes with safety features the company believes customers should consider. For one, the device has a metal frame to make it durable and shot-resistant. LG also said it puts its smartphone battery through more than 20 tests to ensure operational safety.

LG plans to ship three Q6 models. The Q6a will feature 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. The standard Q6 will have 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The highest-end option, the Q6+, boosts the RAM to 4GB and storage to 64GB.

LG hasn’t released Q6 pricing yet. The company plans to announce pricing as it releases the handset in different markets. Still, LG said it plans to make the Q6 a more affordable option for customers through “attractive pricing.” The LG Q6 will be available in Asia in August and make its way to North America, Latin America and Europe soon after.