The LG G6 has a screen like you’ve never seen before! Here are 6 things you need to know about the new smartphone.
LG’s last flagship phone – the G5 – wasn’t exactly a success. Now the company is ditching last year’s modular design for sleek, smooth and uncomplicated aesthetics on the G6.
LG provided me with a preview unit – this is not the final device – but here are 6 things to know.
1 – The Screen!
It takes up nearly the entire face of the phone! It’s a large 5.7 inches in a form factor that’s smaller than the iPhone 7 Plus or Google’s Pixel XL. Also, the display is 18×9, so a bit taller (or wider, depending on how you hold it) than typical 16×9 screens. The corners are also unique since they are rounded off.
2 – Design!
LG G6 feels fantastic in your hand. It’s the perfect size phone. Aluminum and glass offer just the right amount of grippy-ness. On the back, you’ll find LG’s signature power button/fingerprint reader. Volume controls are on the side.
3 – The Cameras!
There are dual lenses on the back, but both cameras let you go wide angle so you can fit way more into your shots. Rest assured, there is no need for a selfie stick. This camera is a lot of fun to use. There’s a square mode for easy Instagrams and tons of camera extras. I’m not going to go into camera quality here since this is a preview device and the software isn’t final but you won’t be dissatisfied with what LG is doing in this department.
4 – Get it wet!
The LG G6 is water and dust resistant. It can survive underwater up to about 5 feet for half an hour. LG also says it’s built to be dependable to survive everyday drops. I think it will still scratch and scuff if you drop it on pavement, so I didn’t test this part of it because I hate to mess up such a shiny, beautiful phone.
5 – Google Assistant!
Google’s smart AI companion is built into this phone, which is running the latest version of Android, Nougat. Just hold down the home button to activate it. What a difference a few weeks makes – when the G6 was announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, this was sort of a big deal, but now most Android phones running Nougat have the Assistant. Still, I love Google Assistant because you will be amazed at how much it can do for you.
6 – Wireless Charging!
I used to think wireless charging was a huge deal, but that was before fast charging took off. I feel like batteries are lasting longer than ever and charging is faster than ever, but this feature is still nice to have. The G6 supports popular wireless charging standards so chances are if there is a charging pad nearby you’ll be able to use it. The battery is also sizeable – 3,300 mAh to be exact – that’s a good size for a phone of this size.
Bottom line – LG ticks off a lot of the things we want out of a 2017 smartphone. There is no release date announced just yet but you’ll probably want to wait to compare this device against what Samsung will announce at their event on March 29, 2017.