LG reportedly working on WebOS and SIM-enabled smartwatches
More speculation is circulating about LG’s future smartwatch plans, this time from the sidelines of CES in Las Vegas. According to sources from LG, the company is looking to build a more flexible ecosystem for its future smartwatches, which could include switching over to WebOS sometime next year.
LG’s previous smartwatches have all been built on the Android Wear platform, but the company may be looking to break free of the restrictions of Google’s operating system. The most likely replacement would be WebOS, which LG purchased from Hewlett-Packard back in 2013 and has been using to power its recent Smart TV range.
We’re going to slowly try to build an (software) ecosystem around areas we can have more control over,
This is not the first time that we have heard about the possibility of a WebOS smartwatch from LG. Late last year a leaked LG hosted website for a WebOS watch appeared but was quickly taken down.
Apparently, LG plans to expand the use of the WebOS platform to more of its internet-connected televisions this year and then to home appliances and possibly mobile products later. However, the source stated that Android would remain the major platform behind LG’s mobile devices in the near future and there is no indication that LG will attempt to revive WebOS as an Android smartphone competitor. Instead, LG may be planning to trial WebOS on a single smartwatch to test the waters.
A separate source also repeated earlier rumors that LG is preparing to launch a SIM-enabled smartwatch early this year, which will free the watch from dependency on a paired smartphone. However, no details about the hardware or operating system were given.
LG may have been slightly slower than the competition at releasing its first smartwatch, but its latest G Watch R has proven to be one of the best wearables around. 2015 is going to be an important year for the smartwatch market, so we will be eagerly watching LG’s plans this year.
AT&T will carry LG G Flex 2
LG announced the much awaited sequel to one of the best-in-class “curved” smartphones that is the G Flex recently at CES 2015.
Following the announcement of G Flex 2, AT&T announced that they will be adding this device to their ever-growing portfolio of carrier devices. “We’re thrilled to add the powerful, new LG G Flex 2 to our leading device portfolio,” said Jeff Bradley, SVP, Device Marketing and Developer Services, AT&T.
The AT&T blog also stated that pricing and availability will be announced at a later date.
The post AT&T will carry LG G Flex 2 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
LG mystery smartwatch is made for specifically for Audi
That LG mystery watch we showed you earlier isn’t going to be the G Watch R 2. It was actually developed specifically for Audi and their new Prologue automobile. It will carry the Audi brand as well.
Earlier today, Ulrich Hackenberg used the watch to summon the self-driving Prologue to the stage during Audi’s press conference. The watch was confirmed to be made by LG, so it was assumed that it could be the successor to the G Watch R or a new variant.
Although it is using Android Wear and is definitely an offshoot of the G Watch R, we won’t see it widely sold anytime soon. Apparently LG and Audi worked together to develop this watch to match the design of the Prologue but also included extra hardware to communicate with the car.
NFC is included in the watch, which isn’t available on any other Android Wear watch. This NFC capability establishes a secure connection between the car and the watch, which allows you to unlock the doors. Since NFC can work without the battery, the driver should still be able to unlock or lock the doors even when the watch battery is dead.
Then there are biometric sensors that could feed information such as the driver’s body temperature and heart rate to the car’s onboard computer. This could be used to automatically control the air conditioning or heat in the car.
There is also a UI skin on top of Android Wear that is specifically designed for Audi, which I thought Google wasn’t allowing. I guess because this device isn’t going to be widely sold, it’s okay. It also means that any old Android Wear watch won’t work with the Prologue, even if it were to have NFC.
Slashgear was able to get some video time with the watch, so check it out below.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Hopefully LG will offer something that looks like this watch as a regular Android Wear device.
Be sure to check out our complete CES 2015 coverage.
source: SlashGear
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CES 2015: The Audi smartwatch made by LG is a thing of beauty
Don’t you love it when things are unintentionally spotted and turn out to be absolute gems? During Audi‘s presentation at CES 2015, at some point, an Audi executive demonstrates the ability to control a car with a smartwatch. That device, a Audi smartwatch shall we say, is something we’ve never seen before, nor does it resemble […]
The post CES 2015: The Audi smartwatch made by LG is a thing of beauty appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Could this mysterious watch be the LG G Watch R 2?
There are a lot of things meant to be seen at CES, but some of the best stuff are the ones that aren’t literally on display. Take for instance the watch in the image above which is made by LG and was on the wrist of Ulrich Hackenberg during Audi’s press conference at CES.
It certainly resembles the G Watch R in the design, but other than the obvious difference of silver, you can clearly see three buttons at the right. What they could be used for is anyone’s guess. This watch actually looks a lot like what I asked for in my review of the G Watch R: A two-toned silver and black option.
When will it be available is a valid question, but a bigger question would be, is this even Android Wear? It’s safe to assume that it is, but there is a very small possibility it could be WebOS. I doubt it, but crazier things have happened.
Be sure to check out our full CES 2015 coverage.
source: TheVerge
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Mystery LG smartwatch reportedly spotted at CES 2015 [updated]
Update: Android Central has confirmed that the watch was made specifically for Audi by LG. It is running a custom version of Android Wear, but only to show off Audi’s software. That’s really too bad, because this is probably the classiest smartwatch we’ve seen so far.
No matter how much we expect to see certain products at CES, we’re always blindsided by at least a few product sightings. So far, CES 2015 has been full of device and smartwatch announcements, and we’ve even seen both Hyundai and Viper show off remote car starting, just using an Android Wear smartwatch. During Audi’s press conference earlier today to announce their new advancements in the automotive world, something caught the eye of a few tech writers out there. The Verge reports that when Audi’s Ulrich Hackenberg called a self-driving car up to the stage, he was using an LG-made smartwatch. Judging by the photos, this smartwatch definitely isn’t anything LG has announced thus far, and we’re not even sure if it’s running Android Wear.
Judging by the looks of it, the watch definitely seems like more of a high-end device, even looking more premium than the company’s recently-released LG G Watch R. It looks to have a similar design to the G Watch R, thanks to the circular display and big brackets on the top and bottom to hold the watch strap in place. Aside from that, we don’t have any other details regarding the watch. There was no mention of Android Wear or smartwatch integration in Audi’s press conference, so it looks like we’re just going to have to wait until more details surface in the future.
So, what do you think? Could it be a new Android Wear device? Or LG’s rumored webOS smartwatch? Let us know what you think!
Meet the G Flex 2, LG’s next attempt at making the perfect curved smartphone
Let’s face it: With its curvaceous body, low-res screen, self-healing tendencies and lousy camera, the original LG G Flex was a mixed bag if there ever was one. When it came time to craft the inevitable sequel, though, the Korean tech giant agonized over customer feedback for months to figure out what went awry and what was really important to people. The end result of all that brainstorming is the LG G Flex 2, and it shows — it’s dramatically better than the original in just about every way that matters.
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Physical design is one thing, but what’s probably most impressive is what’s thrumming away inside. The G Flex 2 is one of the first devices we’ve seen to come with one of Qualcomm’s octa-core Snapdragon 810 chipsets. Those 2.0GHz processor cores are partnered up with 2GB of RAM and support carrier-aggregated LTE Category 6 to boot — the G Flex 2 is meant to be a speed demon, no doubt about it. You’ll be able to choose from either 16 or 32GB of internal storage, and charging the thing shouldn’t take too long either; the included high-speed charger will get you from 0 to 50 percent in about 40 minutes. Oh, and remember the camera on the original G Flex? You probably don’t, because it sucked. Rather than reinvent the wheel this time, LG basically just plopped the G3’s 13-megapixel rear camera (complete with super-fast laser autofocus) into a new body.
So yes, on paper, the G Flex 2 seems like a more-than-worthy upgrade. But what’s it like to actually use? As far as first impressions go, the Flex 2 leaves a strong one — I find that the pictures I’ve taken just don’t do this flexible body justice. It’s just… lovely. The G Flex 2 is tremendously comfortable to press up against your face too (you know, when you actually need to use your phone as a phone), and the curve is meant to put the microphone much closer to your mouth than a regular candy bar design would. And as you might expect, I couldn’t get the G Flex 2 to so much as stutter during my brief time playing with it — it’s a little too early to make sweeping judgments, but it seems clear that the octa-core Snapdragon chipset is a potent one. Overall performance is helped by the fact that LG usually doesn’t futz with stock Android too much, and that still seems to be the case here. That means we’ve got a version of Android 5.0 Lollipop that isn’t overly encumbered by bloatware and visual cruft. Other than the upgrade to Lollipop, though, there isn’t a ton in the way of new software — the most notable addition is a peek feature that lets you pull down from the top of the display to catch a glimpse at the time and your notifications. Alas, it didn’t work terribly well on our (admittedly non-final) tester unit, but LG still has time to work out the kinks.
I’ll be honest: It was a little hard to leave that conference room. If the original G Flex was a test balloon meant to see how regular people would react to the notion of a weirdo, curved smartphone, the G Flex 2 seems like a supersonic jet, a leap forward in evolution that makes its predecessor seem like a chump. There’s still no firm word on when it’ll be released or how much it’ll cost when it does, but stay tuned — we’ll certainly bring you more as we get it.
Filed under: Mobile
LG G Flex 2 press release leaks out early before its CES 2015 announcement
Presumably only a few hours before the device is due to be officially announced at CES 2015, the LG G Flex 2 press release has been leaked early in its entirety, including all the details about the device including several press images that really show what kind of device LG‘s second generation G Flex is going […]
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Nest adds 15 new partners, including Philips Hue lighting and LG
Nest has been steadily expanding their services through their ‘Works with Nest’ program, teaming up with other hardware and software companies to bring extra functionality and smarts to your home, and convenience to your thermostat.
The Google owned company has announced the addition of fifteen new Nest partners across a handful of segments.
Perhaps the most recognizable new partner to the smart home enthusiasts out there, is Philips. Philips has a line of color changing light bulbs, called Hue, that can now be controlled by your Nest thermostat and Protect smoke alarm. A simple use is to flash the lights in the house when the smoke alarm goes off, but I suppose you could tie the color of the Hue lighting to the temperature of the home, just for fun.
Vendors like August and Unikey / Kevo smart lock will allow Nest owners to do things like turn down the heat in the home when you lock the front door.
While Philips lighting and smart door locks are very convenient, their integration with Nest may be overshadowed by the two biggest new partners on the list, LG appliances and Whirlpool appliances. That’s right, your fridge will be able to enter a low power mode when Nest knows you are not home, or Nest can notify you when your dryer has finished. Personally, I would hope for a smart thermostat setting that adjusts accordingly on big cook days, when the oven is on for hours on end, heating the kitchen but not the rest of the house.
Not all of the new partners will have their Works with Nest integration up and running right away, here is your full list:
Available now:
- August smart lock
- Automatic driving assistant
- Insteon
- LG appliances
- Lutron
- Ooma Telo
- Philips Hue
- Unikey / Kevo smart lock
- Withings Aura sleep system
Coming soon:
- Beep Dial (February)
- Big Ass Fans (February)
- Osram smart bulb (February/March)
- Whirlpool appliances (April)
- Zuli smart plug (April)
- Chargepoint home EV charging stations (June)
All in all, not a bad set of additions to the existing list of Works with Nest partners, including companies like Dropcam, Jawbone, Mercedes and Rachio sprinklers. Be sure to hit up the Nest website for more details.
Are you excited for any of these new Works with Nest partners?
LG phone shows up in benchmark with Snapdragon 810
The LG F510L has appeared in GeekBench with Qualcomm’s newest chipset, the Snapdragon 810. This could be the G Flex 2, which will be announced tomorrow or it could be the upcoming G4. Either way, this particular variant is probably headed to U+ in South Korea based on the model number. The G3 for U+ sported the F400L model number, while the original G Flex had F340L.
The Snapdragon 810 features a big.LITTLE architecture, which consists of 4 Cortex-A57 cores and 4 Cortex-A53 cores along with an Adreno 430 GPU. We can expect to see the majority of flagship phones sporting the 810 this year, with the G4 being an absolute lock.
source: GeekBench
via: Phone Arena
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