Today at Mobile World Congress 2017 LG unveiled the LG G6 smartphone. The phone features a variety of notable hardware improvements over previous models, including a unique new 18:9 display, 60fps 4K video recording, waterproofing and more.
Let's run through the details. First off is the unique new aspect ratio of the LG G6' s screen, which is 18:9, a ratio that makes the handset tall and thin. This was chosen to provide a closer to cinematic experience when consuming media or playing games.
The screen itself is a quad HD+, 2880x1440 resolution affair and, if that wasn't enough, LG has made good use of its ties with Dolby to make it also HDR capable.
This HDR support comes courtesy of Dolby Vision.Interestingly, LG also confirmed that the LG G6's screen is an IPS LCD, not an OLED, with quantum dot technology. Oh, and you also get to protect said panel with Gorilla Glass, which is installed on both the front and rear of the handset.
Moving on, LG also revealed at the LG G6 Day event that its new handset features dual cameras, one for standard shots and the other for wide-angle shots. Both of these cameras are 13-megapixel, while one has a 71-degree angle and the other is 125 degrees, which is super wide. In addition, LG confirmed that the front camera is also rather wide at 100 degrees, which will no doubt please selfie addicts.
And while talking about the device's camera, LG also revealed that the LG G6 can record video at a 4K resolution and 60fps. The camera also features hybrid image stabilisation, both optical and electronic, focus peaking - showing what is in focus by adding artificial colour - and 50 per cent slow mo functionality.
In terms of power, the LG G6 is confirmed to come with a 3,300mAh battery (the LG G5 had a 2,500mAh battery), however the battery is no longer replaceable. Charging for the handset's battery comes courtesy of a USB Type-C connection. IP68 water resistance is also now standard.
Moving on to storage capabilities, LG confirmed that the LG G6 now supports removable storage. Users will be able to bump the memory up to 2TB when it becomes available.
Penultimately, LG confirmed that the LG G6 will be the first non-Google phone to launch with Google Assistant. Right now this personal assistant is only available on Google's Pixel handset, however will offer the G6 its full AI service when the handset launches.
And, lastly, LG confirmed the LG G6 will be available in three colour schemes, Astro Black, Mystic White, and Ice Platinum. The LG G6 is set to launch on March 10, 2017 in Korea, with an early April release for the US market. Prices are rumoured to sit around £490/$600/AU$820 SIM free.
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Update: Serial leaker Evan Blass has shared images (above) of the LG G6 and Samsung Galaxy S8, seemingly sourced from a phone case manufacturer. These images reinforce what we expected the G6 to look like, it shows off the thin bezels, 18x9 display, and dual camera.
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A press release from LG's display manufacturing arm says that a 1440 x 2880 resolution display will be used in LG's flagship phone this year. It will have a whopping 564 pixels per inch compared to the iPhone 7's 326ppi.
The phone is supposedly going to feature excellent touch responses thanks to LG’s new TOUCH technology that eliminates the need for Touch Cover Glass, meaning the phone can be thinner.
LG G6 release date
The LG G6 will be unveiled on the 26th February 2017 at 12PM CET - kicking off Mobile World Congress. As you'd expect, T3.com will be there on hand to detail all the big announcements as they happen.
A YouTube video showcases customers detailing what they want to see from their next smartphones, the features: a bigger screen, smaller body and waterproof are some of the notable highlights. The tease seems to highlight that LG has all these boxes checked.
Bye bye bezels
It seems as though the next flagship is going to look visually similar to the Xiaomi Mi Mix, a phone that boasts a 91.3% screen to body ratio.
This is presumably something LG is looking to do with the G6, in order to make a smaller phone that feels good in the hand, but also keeps a 5.7-inch screen size, the bezels of the new flagship are going to be significantly smaller than other phones on the market.
The 18:9 aspect ratio that LG is talking about means the screen is going to be taller than the standard 16:9 displays we’re all used to.
A invitation released from LG confirms the smartphone will have very small bezels. It states, "Big Screen, That Fits".
The LG G6 is going to feature a 5.7-inch Quad HD+ panel with a 18:9 aspect ratio.
Until anything is officially announced, you can watch the teaser for yourself below:
Dual camera
LG said the dual camera setup will feature two 13-megapixel rear-facing snappers as well as a front-facing camera.
The front-facing snapper tops out at an angle of 100-degrees while the back two actually manage a wider 125-degree field of view to stop distortion at the edges of the shot. Crucially these also shoot in a ratio of 1:1, yup that magic ratio that Instagram loves so much.
The dual camera fun doesn’t stop there. LG has also said that you’ll be able to take a photograph with one camera and have it on the screen while you line up the shot from the other camera. This is described as what sounds like an overlay “film on the shooting screen side”.
Other modes mentioned on the site include 360 panorama mode, food mode, match shots, grid shots and snapshots. There will also be an 18:9 mode which should help to maximise the use of the phone’s screen which is of the same ratio. There is also an ability to take multiple photos to create your own GIFs right there from the camera’s gallery.
