Best smartwatches right now
Although smartwatches have yet to become mainstream, tech lovers like me feel the need to have one. Over the past year, numerous smartwatches of all different brands hit the market hoping to get slapped on your wrist. But not all of them feature the same functionality. With new manufacturers getting involved in along with those who are already returning with a second generation product, it has become harder than ever to choose the one that best suits your needs best.
All-around champ: Huawei Watch
If you’re just entering the world of smartwatches, why not start out here. The Huawei Watch is one of the best offerings out there running Google’s Android Wear platform for smartwatches. Android Wear is still a work in progress but constantly receives updates adding additional features and reducing battery consumption. Without the need to go through carriers and all that mess, Google pushes updates directly to the watch so there’s hardly any wait to get the latest and greatest.
Unlike many smartwatches form last year that feature a square display, the Huawei Watch closely resembles actual watch design. Its round face is the most durable on the market built with sapphire crystal and can hold up to just about anything. For an added durability, the Huawei Watch includes an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance.
Huawei didn’t forget that everyone has different tastes in design. That’s why the company made the process of swapping out bands as easy as possible. At Huawei’s website, buyers have the choice of different colors and band options. Under the hood, the Huawei Watch includes the typical hardware specifications for a smartwatch these days. The Huawei Watch’s 1.4-inch full circle AMOLED display is perfect for viewing outdoors. The quality is crisp and never shows a pixel with its included 286ppi. It’s powered by a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage space. Cellular connectivity is not included here; however, users will get a built-in gyroscope, accelerometer, vibration motor and heart-rate monitor for tracking daily activities. The Huawei Watch is made of 316L stainless steel and weighs in at 48g without the band. Huawei estimates 1-2 days of battery life.
The Huawei watch comes in a luxurious box, making it feel like a rare piece of jewelry. To charge the smartwatch, users must place the watch on a magnetic charging cradle that comes included. Pricing begins at $349 and goes up from there depending on the band you so desire. It’s compatible with Android devices running version 4.3 and up and Apple users running iOS version 8.2 and later. With all the functionalities of Android Wear, a variety of Android apps to download, built-in sensors for checking notifications, fitness tracking and a high durability that’s built to last, make the Huawei Watch the perfect companion for your smartphone.
[Huawei] [Google Store] [Best Buy] [Amazon]
Functionality: Samsung Gear S2
The Gear S2 from Samsung is all about functionality. Samsung worked on this smartwatch for an extended period of time to ensure consumers get the best experience possible. It runs Samsung’s very own Tizen software with the new Circular UX. The new user experience is everything other than what one gets with Android Wear. The Gear S2 makes a very good impression, one that is far superior than that of its predecessor, the Gear S. Nearly everything has changed here. You no longer get the bulky body the Gear S came with. Rather, you get a sleek round display with a rotating bezel for a new way of interacting with what’s on the screen.
Based on my usage and coverage of the Gear S2, there isn’t much not to like. Samsung really did a great job with this one. Tizen offers a wide range of functionality that Android Wear fails to offer and built-in cellular connectivity gives one the option for standalone functions. These include making and receiving calls (with the built-in speakerphone) and going on a run without having your phone on-hand.
On top of all that, you still get all the capabilities of a normal smartwatch such as apps (which Samsung worked hard to get), interchangeable watch-faces as well as notifications and calendar reminders right on your wrist.
The Gear S2 comes in a bevy of options including different colors and watchbands. The price tag varies on the model but starts at $300. It’s compatible with Samsung phones and the company recently added support for many other Android phones. But, sorry, no iOS support here. The Gear S2 and S2 Classic are some of the best looking smartwatches out there and offer a wide-range of functionality.
Standalone: LG Watch Urbane LTE
The LG Watch Urbane LTE is the first Android Wear device to offer cellular connectivity. However, it should be noted that the smartwatch is not for sale just yet but will be prior to the holidays.
LG’s newest smartwatch foreshadows the direction Android Wear could be heading in. With built-in cellular connectivity, users can carry out a number of features that other Android Wear smartwatches need a phone for. These include using online based apps, making and receiving phone calls, receiving notifications and monitoring fitness like a professional. The cellular connectivity guy, though, comes with some downsides. This smartwatch relies on the band to contain some sensors, meaning it cannot be replaced. Altogether, it has a larger body then the original Watch Urbane with a body that’s 3mm thicker.
The full-circle LG Watch Urbane LTE smartwatch is compatible with all Android devices running version 4.3 or higher and iOS devices running version 8.2 and above. The price will likely be north of $350, considering that’s what the original Watch Urbane was priced at without LTE connectivity. If you’re looking for an Android Wear device that brings something new and you want more independence, this is the perfect one for you.
Design: Motorola Moto 360 (2015)
The Moto 360 (2015) expands even more upon the original Moto 360, one of the most anticipated smartwatches ever. With the enhanced second generation Moto 360, Motorola cleaned up its design a bit, added a more powerful processor, a better display and more customization options via its Moto Maker tool. With Moto Maker, buyers get to choose a band, body color, bezel color, pre-installed watch-face and more. And all models are IP67 rated for water and dust resistance.
This time around, Motorola decided to produce different sizes for men and women. Pricing starts at $299 and goes up from there depending on your choice of design and size.
The new Moto 360 runs the newest version of Android Wear, Google’s platform for wearables. The feature most rave about is the design. The smartwatch features a round display (360×330) with a design that is slimmer than the majority and more attractive to the eye. The screen is made out of Gorilla Glass 3 for added protection and has a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage space and either a 300mAh or 400mAh battery depending on the model. Motorola promises its smartwatch will last a full day on a single charge. The new Moto 360 also includes a variety of sensors that make Android Wear operate to its full capability. These sensors include a built-in accelerometer, ambient light sensor, gyroscope, vibration/haptics engine, optical heart rate monitor, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g and dual microphones. A combination of these sensors allow the watch to track all your fitness data, receive notifications from your connected smartphone (Android 4.3+, iOS 8.2+) and pretty much anything else you want to do. Motorola has also made it easy to exchange different watch bands using standard band 16/20/22mm sizes. You won’t have to worry about the difficulty of plugging a cable in such a small confined space because the Moto 360 carries over wireless charging capabilities from its predecessor.
The Moto 360 has already launched in many countries and has generated a lot of attention over recent months. If you’re in the market for a new smartwatch and want one that stands out from the rest, the new Moto 360 has our recommendation.
[Motorola] [Google Store] [Best Buy]
Performance: Pebble Time Round
The Pebble Time Round does things a bit differently. Rather than putting a bunch of gimmicks together and throwing lots of features into a smartwatch that many people have no intend on using, Pebble takes a more conservative approach. The Time Round is a taste of Pebble in a new round body. Users get access to everything that comes inside the standard Pebble Time but in a different design. Pebble is marketing the smartwatch as the thinnest and lightest smartwatch ever made, and boy is it thinner than it looks. After wearing a thicker watch on your wrist for some time, putting on the Time Round feels out of the ordinary. But not everyone is loving the new design of the Time Round due to its super large bezel around the display. The company says it was the only place to put some of the required sensors. With the smartwatch’s unique slim profile, not all the sensors were able to fit in the small confined place.
The Time Round’s interface evolves around its hardware buttons which are used to navigate through the interface. The most stand out capability is Pebble’s timeline feature that shows all one’s daily tasks, calendar events, notifications, appointments and reminders in a day by day layout. It’s super easy to navigate and nothing gets in its way. The smartwatch is very reliable when it comes to receiving notifications and hardly ever misses a beat. Crashes, bugs and studders are completely unknown on this device as performance exceptionally exceeds par.
The variety of sensors built into the Time Round allow it to track one’s steps, fitness data and lots more. Best of all, whether you have an Android or iOS device, the Time Round can connect to just about all of them due to its lacking need of an app store. What you get when you open the box is pretty much what you get. Don’t be discouraged! There are still plenty of options to play around and customize your watch. This is an area where other manufacturer’s seem to overboard and bombard people with options, which can seem a bit overwhelming at first. The Time Round costs $249 just about everywhere you’ll look. And if you’re not big into the design of the Pebble Time Round, Pebble offers the Time and Time Steel with the same, if not lower, cost.
All in all, Pebble has well deserved a spot on this list with its Time Round. If you’re constantly switching ecosystems and don’t want to keep having to replace your smartwatch, this comes in handy. And if you’re one of those people who can’t stand plugging in their smartwatch nightly to charge, the Pebble Time Round’s whopping week-long battery life will catch you buy surprise. This smartwatch’s astonishing performance and great reliability are very much appreciated.
Closing
All five of these smartwatches have their reasons to be on this list. The ecosystem, battery life, functionality and design all contribute to what makes them independent from each other. This year was predicted to be the year of the wearable, and it looks like manufacturers have done enough to satisfy that claim. There’s still plenty of room for improvement as people are still facing a brief question: do I really need this? Others are waiting for that ‘wow factor’ before they buy one. Next year will likely be another big one for wearable technology and we can’t wait to see what time research and development brings. With these smartwatches already on the market, one could be reasonably excited about what’s in store for next year.
Come comment on this article: Best smartwatches right now
GM and LG are working together on the Chevy Bolt electric car
In an unexpected, but interesting partnership, General Motors and LG today revealed they’re working together on the development of the Chevy Bolt. This electric vehicle, which will reportedly launch in 2017 for $30,000, is expected to last over 200 miles on a single charge — a lot more than the 2016 Volt hybrid. GM says LG’s expertise in battery technology was a key factor to deem it a worthy associate, having previously worked with the the South Korean company on the original Chevy Volt. As a result, LG is going to provide a number of components for the upcoming Bolt, including the onboard charger, battery cells and pack, battery heater and infotainment system.
“By taking the best of our in-house engineering prowess established with the Chevrolet Volt and Spark EV, and combining the experience of the LG Group, we’re able to transform the concept of the industry’s first long range, affordable EV into reality,” Mark Reuss, GM executive vice president of Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain, said in a press release. LG, for its part, added that helping GM with the Chevy Bolt is “indicative of exactly the type of contributions that traditional tech companies can make in the automotive space.”
Source: LG
LG and Samsung unveil new battery tech for future wearables
LG and Samsung have been showing off a selection of new flexible battery cells designed for wearable products at an exhibition in Seoul today. Given the limited space inside wearable products and the long life time demanded from smartwatch consumers, new battery technologies are seen as a key to help drive the market forward.
Samsung SDI unveiled two new types of flexible batteries, a stripe and a band. The stripe battery is just 0.3mm thin and is built from a flexible fibre that enables the cell to bend. This cell is designed for use in very small, thin wearables, such as a necklace, hair band or bracelet. Samsung also has a band-type battery designed for smartwatches, presumably in the wrist band, that can add up to 50 additional battery capacity compared with current designs and can resist over 50,000 bends.
LG Chem showcased its own wire battery technology again at the event, which was originally shown off back in 2013. The wire battery can be bent in half without breaking. The company’s hexagonal battery for smartwatches, which was unveiled earlier in the year, was also on display. This design can potentially double the battery capacity of smartwatches by making better use of the space available inside products.
See also: LG hexagonal batteries improve smartwatch battery life
Samsung’s and LG’s battery divisions are looking to design power cells for the next generation of wearables, as shipments are expected to surpass the 100 million mark in 2020, according to Gartner. Lower performance wearables, such has fitness trackers, have actually proven more popular than expensive smartwatches, which are expected to account for 40 percent of smart wrist devices by 2016, and these thin battery technologies could enable new form factors and products in these categories.
Blind Camera Shootout – the winner is…
If you’ve been following the homepage over the past week, you’ll have seen we published a big blind smartphone camera shootout to find out how the new Sony Xperia Z5 camera compares to the iPhone 6S, Galaxy Note 5 and the LG G4. Like our past blind camera shootout, we didn’t tell you which device took each image and today, we’re revealing the results – which smartphones takes the crown?
The cameras in numbers…
Before we reveal the results, let’s recap the various camera specs of each smartphone:
| Sony Xperia Z5 | Galaxy Note 5 | LG G4 | Apple iPhone 6S | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution: | 23MP (5520×4140) | 16MP (5312×2988) | 16MP (5312×2988) | 12MP (4032×3024) |
| Focus: | Hybrid AF | Autofocus | Laser Autofocus | Phase Detection AF |
| Flash: | dual LED | dual LED | dual LED | dual LED |
| Manual controls? | Yes | Yes | Yes | partial |
| Aperture: | f/2.0 | f/1.9 | f/1.8 | f/2.2 |
| Focal Length: | 24mm | 28mm | 28mm | 29mm |
| Camera Sensor Size: | 1/2.3″ | 1/2.6″ | 1/2.6″ | 1/3″ |
| Pixel Size: | TBC | 1.12µm | 1.12µm | 1.22µm |
| Stabilisation: Features: |
Effective Stabilisation |
OIS | OIS Colour Spectrum Sensor |
Digital Image Stabilisation |
| Front Camera | 5MP | 5MP | 8MP | 5MP |
Numbers are only one part of the equation and while you could make a decision on which is best just based on the specs, we all know that cameras and images are about more than megapixels, and algorithms and processing play a large part. Clear your mind, settle down and let’s check out which smartphone camera really is the best.
The Galleries:
Let’s take a look at each gallery again and discuss which smartphone took the best shot. Before we do that however, it’s time to reveal which device is which:
- Phone A = Sony Xperia Z5
- Phone B = LG G4
- Phone C = Apple iPhone 6S
- Phone D = Samsung Galaxy Note 5
Now, let’s look through the galleries:
Gallery 1
This shootout proved to be interesting as it tested how each smartphone camera handled the change between a colour-rich subject and a sky with various shades of grey. No smartphone was able to capture the sky in all its details but the iPhone 6S seemed to handle the transition between light and dark the best.
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Gallery 2
This gallery combined an interesting collection of tests; from the varying sky colours to the detail of the individual tree leaves, the sign in the foreground and the building details and colours to the right.
The Note 5 wins this test as it handles the sky well, produces a good amount of detail in the sign and has clarity in the tree outline. The LG G4 and the Xperia Z5 come second and third respectively as they both produce good all round images while the iPhone 6S comes fourth as it overcompensates for the white balance in the image.
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Gallery 3
This gallery was designed to see how each smartphone handles the details and colours in and on the shop front as well as the details in the shop signs and the reflections in the windows.
The Xperia Z5 wins this shootout as it produces a saturated image with deep colours that is closest the image produced by the EOS 70D. Next up is the Galaxy Note 5, which slightly overcompensates for the light but still captures details, while the iPhone 6S comes third and the washed out LG G4 rounds off this gallery.
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Gallery 4
As pointed out in the comments on the original shootout, the wide angle of the Xperia Z5 lets it down here. When evaluating this gallery, we zoomed into the Apostrophe sign, the detail on the ladies’ hair and the grille at the end of this feature.
The winner is the LG G4, which handles the range of colours better than its rivals. The others are quite close with the Xperia Z5 adding a slight hue to an otherwise good image, the iPhone 6S handling the colours in the scene quite well and the Galaxy Note 5 offering impressive detail even if colours are a little saturated.
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Gallery 5
This gallery was an interesting test as it evaluated how each smartphone handled the colours in the two different LED signs, as well as the detail of the door stand, which can be seen just past the front door.
Each smartphone handled the scene differently and the winner is the Galaxy Note 5, which comes closest to the EOS 70D image with detail and accurate colours throughout. Next up is the iPhone 6S which offers great colour reproduction in the signs and this is followed by the LG G4. The Xperia Z5 brings up the rear as it over compensates for the light and hence, the signs are almost washed out.
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Gallery 6
While shots of scenery and subjects are always great, it doesn’t quite cover how each smartphone handles the contours and detail of a human face. This gallery aims to test just this as well as looking at the amount of bokeh in the details on the wall and mirror behind.
This proved to be a test of two halves with the Galaxy Note 5 narrowly beating the LG G4 to the top spot followed by the Xperia Z5 narrowly pushing the iPhone 6S into last place. In particular, the Xperia Z5 would have probably done a lot better had it been in oversampling mode and the iPhone 6S seems to get the white balance all wrong.
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Gallery 7
For this gallery, the blue sky and amount of detail in the buildings was an interesting test of how good each smartphone’s HDR mode was. From the detail in the rooftops to the Breitling sign at the bottom of the scene and the Itsu sign in the immediate foreground, there’s a lot of detail to capture.
The iPhone 6S wins this with the Galaxy Note 5 very close behind as the sky is a little less saturated than on Apple’s flagship. The Xperia Z5 comes third over the LG G4, mainly because the latter produced a darker image and Sony managed to more accurately reproduce the colour of the sky.
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Gallery 8
Almost the same scene as the above, this gallery used the red telephone box as the subject of the photo. When evaluating this, we looked for reproduction of details on and in the box, the clarity of the Itsu shop sign to the left and the amount of bokeh in the background details.
The Galaxy Note 5 wins this just for its reproduction of details inside the iconic telephone box while the LG G4 and the iPhone 6S tie for second, as the latter captures the details in the background better and the former is better at reproducing the white balance of the scene. Sony’s Xperia Z5 comes a very close fourth as a seeming lack of stabilisation results in some noise in the image.
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Gallery 9
This was an interesting test as the flags had varying amounts of detail, the buildings were detailed and intricate and the sky can be just seen to the left. The Xperia Z5 has a good reproduction of the overall scene but lacks detail when you zoom into the image.
The LG G4 captures the scene well and captures good detail of the brickwork on the building while the iPhone 6S is slightly darker but does better at capturing the sky. The Galaxy Note 5 is very similar to the LG G4 as it captures the scene well including details in the brickwork but lacks depth when you zoom into the image even slights. It’s too close to call a winner in this gallery.
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Gallery 10
This was an interesting gallery as it kicked off the low light testing with a combination of varying colours, intricate detail and bright lights. The Galaxy Note 5 probably wins this for the amount of detail captured even though the colour reproduction isn’t quite accurate.
Beyond this, the LG G4 comes second for the amount of detail captured and even though it is slightly noisy, the Xperia Z5 comes third with the iPhone 6S last thanks to inaccurate white balance. Interestingly, the Xperia Z5 would probably win this or come very close when used in oversampling mode.
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Gallery 11
A combination a dark shop sign and a low light cream building above made an interesting test of each smartphone’s ability to handle low light conditions. The Xperia Z5 overcompensated for a lack of light resulting in a bright image but a lack of detail in the overall image.
The Galaxy Note 5 and the LG G4 tie for first place here as the overall image is almost identical from each of these devices and the iPhone 6S completely misjudges the white balance resulted in a dark image that fails to capture all the details.
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Gallery 12
The last two galleries combine to form a test of the overall night shot capability of each handset. The first gallery is the scene captured with no flash and the second gallery takes the same scene but applies the inbuilt flash of each device.
As far as details in the image go, the Xperia Z5 is the best of all four devices as, although the iPhone 6S produces a lighter image, Sony’s best captures more details. The Galaxy Note 5 comes third and the LG G4 comes fourth, although it’s worth noting that the ISO is set quite low on both of these devices (although all handsets were set to auto mode) and they would produce much better images with a higher ISO.
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Gallery 13
Now to the final gallery – which smartphone has the strongest and most accurate flash? The EOS 70D has a significant advantage thanks to its Xenon flash and while companies such as Nokia have used Xenon in the past, a dual/triple LED flash is the common standard as it can be used for both photos and videos (Xenon cannot be used while video recording).
The LG G4 and the Galaxy Note 5 tie for first place here as the former reproduces details better (albeit with a slight hue) while the latter captures the light better but lacks somewhat in the details. Sony’s Xperia Z5 comes a close third and the iPhone 6S rounds off this shootout in a lowly fourth place.
The results:
Now to the results – which device wins the shootout? Here’s how the voting stands at the end of this shootout:
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It turned out to be quite a close-run race between the iPhone 6S and the Galaxy Note 5 for the title but Apple’s latest just beat Samsung’s latest with 38.2 and 34.1 percent of the 7810 votes respectively. Sony’s Xperia Z5 comes in third with 17.7 percent of votes while the LG G4 brings up the rear with 10 percent of all the votes.
The phones in detail…
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As mentioned in the original gallery post, all the settings were at their maximum resolution, which proved to be detrimental to the Xperia Z5 (which relies on the 8MP oversampling mode for its best shots). We’ll be retesting these smartphones along with a few others in the big camera shootout in the coming weeks so stay tuned! Let us know what you thought about these results in the comments below guys and head over to the original shootout post for all the galleries.
LG’s much-improved G Vista 2 is coming to AT&T
You’d be forgiven if you forgot about LG’s G Vista — the smartphone’s huge size couldn’t make up for the ridiculously low-res display and slow processor. You might just remember its sequel, though. AT&T has unveiled the G Vista 2, and it fixes just about every gripe you had from before. The 5.7-inch screen now touts a much more acceptable 1080p resolution, and the combination of an eight-core processor (unnamed, but likely a Snapdragon 615) with 2GB of RAM should keep up with most tasks. You’ll also get a handy stylus, a 13-megapixel rear camera, a 5-megapixel front cam and 16GB of expandable storage. AT&T hasn’t yet said when the G Vista 2 ships or how much it’ll cost you, but talk of a “revolutionary” price hints that you won’t be paying much of a premium over the phone’s predecessor.
Via: GSMArena
Source: AT&T (YouTube)
Nexus 5X sales begin in India on Wednesday
LG has confirmed that its Nexus 5X smartphone will go on sale in India tomorrow, Wednesday 21st October. Pre-orders will also begin shipping out on this date.
The Nexus 5X comes in 16GB and 32GB internal memory options, which will be priced at Rs. 31,900 and Rs. 35,900 respectively. The handset will be available from a number of Indian retailers, including Amazon, The Mobile Store, Sangeetha Mobiles, and Croma. LG has also confirmed that the Google Store will stock the Nexus 5X for Indian customers, along with the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Korea and Japan.
“We are committed to our consumers on the promised availability of Nexus 5X from the October 21st as announced at its launch on October 13th.” – Amit Gujral, Head Marketing LG Mobiles India
Availability for the Nexus 6P seems to be more unclear. Google had previously indicated that the smartphone would also launch on October 21st, but a Flipkart spokesperson has stated that it isn’t expecting stock to arrive until the end of month and won’t begin shipping out pre-orders until November 2nd. Whether or not this is an issue exclusive to Flipkart remains to be seen.
For a closer look at what the new Nexus 5X has to offer, be sure to check out our unboxing and first impressions of LG’s latest Nexus smartphone.
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Are any Indian readers planning to pick up a Nexus 5X tomorrow?
LG Nexus 5X factory images for Android 6.0 now available from Google
‘Tis that time of the year again, when new Nexus devices are shipping from suppliers and into the adoring arms of early adopters. Indeed some customers are already in receipt of the LG Nexus 5X, and of that crowd there will inevitably be a number of users who want to get their mod on. Google has, thankfully, just posted the official 5X factory images for Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
Please be aware that three variants are currently posted for the device, known as “Bullhead” however Google has not included any information to specify which one is which. To this end, it is advisable for users to check their device’s Settings -> About Phone menu to glean the relevant variant listing: MDA89E, MDA89F, or MDB08I and ensure that the correct one is flashed to ensure full compatibility.
Please also note that flashing the ROM will erase all contents on your phone, thus a proper back-up is suggested before doing anything drastic. Those willing to take the risk but unsure of what to do can read our guide here.
The factory images can be obtained here, all signed and provided by Google:
LG G Vista 2 coming to AT&T with a large display, new design and more power
Looking for a budget phone to use on AT&T? The carrier has unveiled a brand new phone for those looking to have a large display on a budget. It’s the successor to the LG G Vista from 2014, and it’s simply named the LG G Vista 2. It comes with some good specs and significant improvements, though, so keep reading to learn all about it!
Let’s start with the specs, shall we? AT&T and LG don’t go too much into the details, but the main features are clear. For starters, the LG G vista 2 sports a stronger Snapdragon 615 Soc, which is definitely an upgrade over the predecessor’s Snapdragon 400.
The screen has also been upgraded to a 5.7-inch 1080p panel, as opposed to 720. Other characteristics include Android 5.0, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal storage, microSD support, an included stylus, a 13 MP rear camera and a 5 MP front shooter.
If there’s something I like about LG’s devices it is that even the lower-end handsets feature all the software improvements that LG has to offer. The LG G Vista 2 takes advantage of Knock On, Knock Code, QSlide , Quick Memo and more. Not to mention all the cool things you can do with that fancy stylus.
It’s also exciting to see that this phone adopts the LG G4‘s iconic design. The back has that 3D checkered effect, and it seems to be slightly curved, too. Obviously, the buttons are still in the back, which is something that won’t be changing anytime soon.
There’s no mention of when the phone will be released, nor do we know how much it will cost, but this gadget should offer good value for your cash when it does hit the market. We also have to wonder if it is ever coming to Verizon, as well. The previous iteration came to both AT&T and Big Red.
What do you guys think of the LG G Vista 2? Are you thinking about getting one?
LG videos
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LG G Vista 2 will soon hit AT&T and Verizon stores
PhoneArena recently stated that the LG G Vista 2 will be heading to AT&T and Verizon stores in the near future.
Just announced today, the LG G Vista 2 will seek to replace its predecessor from last year’s original LG G Vista. This year’s handset features a similar design language and a majority of the same specifications, however includes an upgrade on the software front.
The LG G Vista 2 will have a 5.7-inch display with an upgraded full-HD resolution, a 13MP rear camera and 16GB of internal storage space. It will also include 2GB of RAM, a 1 W speaker for loud and high-quality audio and an upgraded processor (not specified) in replacement of last year’s included Snapdragon 400.
The device should launch in time for the holidays and will be available via U.S. carriers AT&T and Verizon. The price tag is currently unknown, but it shouldn’t break the bank.
The embedded video below shows off some of the device’s newest features and specifications.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Via: PhoneArena
Come comment on this article: LG G Vista 2 will soon hit AT&T and Verizon stores
LG shifts focus to OLED as smartphone sales remain sluggish
LG has decorated its HQ with OLED in a very visible way.
Despite the very vocal crowd who called Samsung’s 2015 smartphones afoul, LG’s G4 has done very little to rekindle the OEM’s sagging sales and diminishing market share. Despite the favorable interest in the new V10 – already on sale in Korea and releasing next month in the USA – the expensive flagship is unlikely to change things in the markets that matter. In light of this unfavorable situation, The Korea Times is reporting that LG will soon be restructuring: LG Display will take control of OLED lighting-related development from current owner LG Chem.
Specifically, LG Chem has indicated that “it has received approval from top LG management to sell its OLED lighting unit to LG Display on Dec. 15. The deal is worth 160 billion won, or some $142 million.”
LG Chem’s C.S. Song, head of the company’s PR division, stated that, “The latest deal will help LG Chem further strengthen its ability to handle the OLED material business as LG Display has been successful in managing OLED-embedded applications.”
Jacquelyn Park, a spokeswoman for LG Display, added that “The decision will help LG Group create synergy in the OLED business sector given LG Display’s advantage in that segment.”
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The move comes after a meeting last week where LG Chairman Koo Bon-moo “asked top management of the conglomerate’s affiliates to share patents that each of its units have” and is part of an apparent contingency plan-type strategy to step the company’s lost revenue from elsewhere in the conglomerate.
The Korea Times states that, “LG’s shift to the OLED business comes after its main affiliates suffered a ‘systematic decline’ in profit. Its key consumer electronics unit – LG Electronics – is nowhere to be seen in smartphones, hit by the rise of cheap Chinese mobile vendors. LG’s global ranking in smartphones in the second quarter was pushed outside the ‘top five’.”
Also mentioned in the piece was a stronger focus on the B2B market segment, which is expected to grow to $6.7 trillion by 2020 according to leading market research firm Frost and Sullivan.
Trouble in paradise?
This latest news development comes amid a generally tumultuous time for Korea’s big two. Just last week TrendForce reported Samsung first annual decline in Samsung smartphone shipments. LG, too, has been dealing with troubled sales, and has already been focusing on OLED products.
As the Times mentioned, this is largely seen as a factor of the keen competition coming out of China in the form of Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo, Meizu, and OnePlus, especially given that many of these OEMs forgo traditional marketing and retail outlets and thus can afford to offer their products at extremely competitive prices.
LG’s focus on OLED is perhaps one of the main areas where the company has a clear technological advantage over the competition, save for perhaps Samsung, and thus a doubled-down decision to produce and sell is one vital way to remain afloat.
AIVAnet 