The LG G3
will almost certainly be replaced by the LG G4 at some point during
2015, and it’ll have to be something very special if it’s to be worthy
of the name. Rumors of its possible specifications are already beginning
to gather.Here’s what we think we know about the LG G4, all in one handy guide.
Updated on 04-03-2015 by Malarie Gokey: Added in news of the new Quad HD screen technology LG announced that may be used on the G4.
LG plans an event for April 28 — Will the G4 star?
Finally, after months of waiting, images of an event invitation from LG began to circulate, showing the company plans to launch a new device on April 28. The tagline is: “See The Great, Feel The Great,” and the letter G stylized to match LG’s G-series branding. This certainly drops a major hint we’ll get a “G” phone on the day, and the G4 is a distinct possibility. We’ll be at the event, so we’ll be sure to keep you updated on everything LG announces.
At the end of March, Korea’s Yonhap News said industry sources had placed the G4’s launch for the end of April, around the same time as Samsung will put the Galaxy S6 on sale. The source also said the phone will have a curved screen measuring approximately 5 inches.
The LG G3 was introduced at the end of May 2014, and an early report from Korea claimed the G4 would come in May, but another published by the Korea Times quoted
LG insiders as saying the new flagship would launch in April. It seems
that the later report of an April launch will be accurate, although it
will be in late April.
LG
wants some space between the G4 and rival high-end smartphones, and an
anonymous source is quoted as saying: “Samsung usually releases its new
flagship model in the first quarter of each year, and Apple in the second quarter. We need some in-between time to make a bigger splash.”
A smaller, curved screen, or an even higher resolution?
As we swiftly approach the expected launch of the LG G4, more and more leaks are springing out across the Web. The latest comes from LG itself. The Korean company, which is known for its display technology, showed off a brand-new, 5.5-inch Quad HD screen. The LCD screen has a pixel resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels and a pixel density of 538 ppi. Apparently, the new tech offers more true-to-life colors, better contrast, and less light leakage.Although the press release on the new screen doesn’t come right out and say that this screen will grace the LG G4’s new frame, the company hinted strongly that we’ll see it soon. “LG’s forthcoming flagship smartphone to be unveiled at the end of the month,” the release says.
Recently, a post on GFX Bench showed a device named the LG G4 (F500x) was put through the Android Open GL test. The full spec list is visible on the posting, and reveals some intriguing information.
The post says the G4 will have a 5.5-inch screen with a 2,560 x 1,440 pixel resolution and a density of 534 pixels per inch, which is in line with earlier estimates, though lower resolution than some rumors. However, the benchmark also mentions a very surprising spec: a Snapdragon 808 Qualcomm processor. Although this 64-bit, hexa-core processor and its Adreno 418 GPU are powerful, they’re not as impressive as the Snapdragon 810 octa-core chip.
Related: Read our LG G Flex 2 review
Either LG downgraded to the 808 after seeing the overheating issue and battery drain concerns both Samsung and HTC appeared to have with their latest flagships, this is simply another variant of the G4, or it’s completely wrong.
At this point, there’s no way to know if the benchmark is correct about the processor – they’re often faked – but its other specs might still be accurate. The post lists 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, a 16-megapixel camera with 4K UHD video capture, and a selfie snapping 8-megapixel camera on the front of the device.
LG may make the G4 slightly smaller than the G3. According to this source, the G4 could feature a 5.3-inch Quad HD screen, with an almost bezel-less display. While this sounds a plausible scenario, a phone with the model number LG VS999 — suggesting it’s a Verizon device — has been spotted with an almost unbelievable 2880 x 1620 pixel resolution.
Discovered in User Agent data — which shows developers what type of devices are used to browse websites, and is easily faked — it’s not clear whether this is the G4 or not, but its model number is an advancement over the VS985, the G3’s model number when sold through the Verizon network.
Screens with this resolution have been fitted to laptops in the past, but never to a smartphone, and lowering the size of the display while upping the resolution sounds unlikely. Also, screens with 2560 x 1440 pixels are hardly common place now, so sticking with one for the G4 would hardly make it “old.” We’ll treat this rumor with even more skepticism than usual.
Other possible G4 specifications include a Snapdragon 810 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 20.7-megapixel camera, a 3,500mAh battery and a choice of 32GB or 64GB of internal memory.
What will it look like?
Leaked renders spotted by Nowhereelse.fr, show the G4 with a slight curve to the screen. If the pictures are the real deal, this seems like an odd choice from LG, seeing as it just launched the curved G Flex 2. Of course, as with any leaks, we’d advise taking this one with a grain of salt.
LG has adopted a squarer shape for the rear controls on the Magna and Spirit, and this phone may be a slightly higher-specced version of these mid-range devices – this time with a laser autofocus added to the camera. Some sources claim there’s a stylus hidden in the top rear left, but this is more likely to be the antenna often fitted to Korean smartphones, where mobile TV is a popular feature. Despite what others say, we’re not convinced this is the G4 at all.
Although the April 28 event invitation doesn’t explicitly state it’s for the LG G4, if it is, then does the tagline and cover image give anything away? The background is stitched leather, and we’re told we’ll see and feel the “great.” Will LG go for tactile leather on the phone, in a similar way to Samsung and the Note 4? We’d be surprised, but the invite certainly suggests the phone will have more than just a plastic shell.
A stylus probably won’t be part of the package
According to a report from China in late December, LG may include a stylus with the G4, and turn it into a competitor of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. The rumor is based on a selection of trademarks recently registered by LG, including the G Scrawl, and an updated version of the G Pen. Currently, the LG G3’s closest rival is the Galaxy S5.Related: LG may announced a 4G G Watch R2 at MWC 2015
LG has already produced a spin-off version of the G3 with a stylus, unsurprisingly called the G3 Stylus, and has included a pen with older devices such as the G Pro Lite. At the beginning of February, a report surfaced showing evidence of a G4 Stylus phone, indicating the stylus-equipped G4 will be a sequel to the mid-range G3 Stylus. It’s expected to have a screen resolution of 720p.
Where does all this leave the G Pro series? One report says LG will drop the G Pro entirely, and instead concentrate on making the G4 really impressive. A larger, Note 4-style screen may be part of the package, opening the door for the G Flex 2 to take over from the G3 as its standard Android flagship phone. After all, we’ve seen evidence LG wants to really push flexible-screened phones over the next few years.
We’ll update this report with more news and rumors about the LG G4, so check back often.
Previous updates:
Updated on 3-31-2015 by Andy Boxall: Added in possible launch event date for the LG G4.
Updated on 3-30-2015 by Malarie Gokey: Added in specs from leaked benchmark result for the LG G4.
Updated on 3-27-2015 by Andy Boxall: Added in possible launch window for the G4, and another leaked image, which may not be what it seems.
Updated on 3-11-2015 by Kyle Wiggers: Added leaked renders of the LG G4.
Updated on 02-16-2015 by Malarie Gokey: Added news the LG G4 won’t launch until April.
Updated on 02-02-2015 by Andy Boxall: Added news the LG G4 may have a 2880 x 1620 pixel screen, plus rumor of a mid-range G4 Stylus phone.
Updated on 01-21-2015 by Malarie Gokey: Added news that the G4 may not arrive at Mobile World Congress, but later in May instead.
Article originally published on 12-29-2014