The LG G6 is here, and gone is the modular design of the good-but-experimental LG G5. Instead, the LG G6 has water resistance (IP68) and support for wireless charging of any kind (PMA and Qi). It’s also the first smartphone to have Google Assistant built in (aside from the Pixel, of course).
But the real draw of the LG G6 is its look and feel. Its beautiful 5.7-inch Quad HD display was built with an 18:9 aspect ratio, meaning that the LG G6’s display is taller but thinner than the iPhone 7 Plus’s and Pixel XL’s displays (both of which were built with a 16:9 aspect ratio). Basically it’s a mega-screen smartphone that actually fits comfortably in your hand.
LG G6: Specs
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 821
Display: 5.7-inch 18:9 QHD+ FullVision display (2880 x 1440)
OS: Android 7.0 Nougat
Storage: 32GB
Cameras: 5MP front-facing, 13MP dual rear-facing (71° and 125°)
Other Features: water resistant (IP68), wireless charging, Dolby Vision/HDR10 support
Beyond just feel, the G6’s 18:9 aspect ratio promises to improve your streaming experiences. A lot of today’s premium content (e.g., Netflix) is filmed in an 18:9 aspect ratio and then cropped to fit your smartphone’s 16:9 screen. With the G6, you’ll be watching these shows and movies as they were originally intended. Another huge draw is that the G6 supports both HDR video technologies, Dolby Vision and HDR10 — a first for smartphones. Expect more smartphones to support Dolby Vision and HDR10 in 2017, as improved theatrical experiences on small screens are en vogue.
There are a few other notable features. The LG G6 has a traditional headphone jack and a USB-C charge port with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0. Its battery is bigger than the LG G5’s (3,300mAh, compared to 2,800mAh). The home button/fingerprint scanner is on its back. And its 5MP front-facing and 13MP rear-facing cameras, which support 4K video capture, are what you’d expect from a premium smartphone in 2017. (The LG G6 also comes with an app called “Square Camera” for making quick gifs and collages.)
It’s not without its drawbacks, however. The LG G6 has just one speaker, isn’t compatible with Daydream View, and runs on a Snapdragon 821 Quad-Core processor — expect other smartphones to run on the newer Snapdragon 835. Also, no incorporation of “Like a G6” by Far East Movement was incorporated with the launch or marketing campaign, which is a disappointment.
Pricing and availability have yet to be announced.
