The LG G4 is a jack of all trades, yet master of none

Ask people what they want in a phone and the LG G4 would probably fulfill all of those requirements. Yet people are looking at Samsung and Apple offerings for their next device.

Something has to be putting LG at a disadvantage, right?

The LG G4 has a sharp display with Quad HD resolution, micro SD card slot for additional storage, removable battery to extend usage, professional-like camera, Dual Window functionality, Smart Bulletin, LG Health, and plenty of other features. The list goes on and on. All this in a relatively small form factor considering the screen itself is much larger than most of the competition. The only real complaint would be build quality, but the leather back option does make it look much nicer. However, the biggest problem with creating a product that tries to do everything is it ends up being for no one specifically. All the features that everyone said they wanted so much no longer seem that great once they are all together.

The reason for this is exactly why Apple and its iPhone are so successful. The company based in Cupertino focuses on key features that users really want and use, then proceed to work until the product is (seemingly) perfected. When you overload the product with tons of ‘stuff’, the overall experience suffers rather than improves.

Samsung is another great example of this. In the past, the Galaxy line was absolutely flooded with features that many users ended up never using and grew to dislike.

With the release of the Galaxy S6, we are seeing a new and improved Samsung. They have cut features that were not all too useful and redirected resources to make the hardware and software worthy of a consumer’s attention. Even with half the features the G4 has, the Galaxy S6 is widely regarded as the best Android phone ever made.

HTC, at one point, also made phones that were good but lacking distinct features. The company went back to the drawing board and came out with the One (M7), a device applauded for its great design and premium speakers. Now, years later, if someone tells you they love watching movies and listening to music, but are unsure of what phone to buy, you know exactly what to recommend. Instantly, the first phone that comes to mind is the One M9. There is nothing else on the market that sounds as good. HTC has successfully positioned itself for a certain consumer.

The iPhone just works, the Galaxy S6 Edge has curved edges, the One M9 sounds unbelievable, and the Galaxy Note 4 has a versatile stylus. What is that one feature LG really worked into the G4 to make it stand out from the rest? The display’s resolution is matched by other top devices. The inclusion of a microSD card slot is still common even if it is slowly on the decline. And the slightly curved display is bested by LG’s own G Flex 2. There is nothing that only the G4 has that makes it stand out.

I strongly considered buying the LG G3 last year as it had a high-end display that was not only large, but much sharper than anything else on the market. It had something that really stood out from the best of the best. The G4 on the other hand has added more while not being very unique. Its personality is missing.

The G4 is a great phone that most consumers would be happy to own, but I really hope LG starts to consider how it wants to identify in the mobile industry. The company has a great base, but it needs to expand upon that. LG is missing that one feature that everyone wants and is only available on the G4.

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