28
Aug
The traditional flagship is sinking, but don’t count it out just yet
Perhaps the game isn’t over yet, but the $800 flagship is running out of health points.
Smartphones are getting cheaper all the time. Sales of high-end $700 or $800 flagships are generally declining. More people are bypassing carriers and buying directly from OEMs, or picking up unlocked devices from online retailers. Could we be looking at the end of the traditional, expensive flagship phone? Can Samsung, LG, or even Apple keep asking us to pay big bucks for their latest offerings?
What’s going on?
If you look at the last round of flagship releases it’s difficult to see where the innovation is. We haven’t seen many compelling new features in the last few years. The flagship line-up has started to look pretty homogenous and almost everyone owns a smartphone now. When the market stagnates, one of the few remaining options for manufacturers looking to stand out is to drop prices.
People have learned that affordable phones don’t feel necessarily cheap.
The average selling price for an Android phone has plummeted from $441 in 2010 down to $254 last year. That’s partly because of the abundance of budget Android smartphones on the market. The platform has improved and hardware has reduced in price dramatically over the last few years. Budget phones are now perfectly usable, and some mid-range offerings, in terms of price, are competing with the high-end flagships, in terms of specs.
If we take a look at something like the OnePlus 2, which starts at $329, we can see the pressure in the market. It’s not really “the 2016 flagship killer” OnePlus suggests, but it doesn’t look out of place next to this year’s crop.
Price drops come quickly
It used to be that flagships would be sold for nearly a full year at the release price, or very close to it. The prices would only start to drop within a month of the next version in the series, but nowadays they begin to fall pretty quickly after release. The LG G4 has dropped from $600 to $480 on T-Mobile and $470 unlocked on Amazon. You can pick up a Galaxy S6 or S6 Edge for $550 now. The Nexus 6 has dropped to $500 from Google and $490 on Amazon now.
No room for yesteryear’s smartphones where we’re going.
This is yet another reason not to lock yourself into a two-year contract and pull the trigger on the latest flagship on release day. You quickly end up in a negative equity situation, but you’ve still got to pay your smartphone off at the original inflated price.
What are the pros and cons?
There’s really only one big pro that matters – cheaper smartphones for all. But it’s also potentially great for customers to be able to shop around on carriers. In theory, it should drive them to offer better deals for service.
For manufacturers, there’s really only one big con that matters – reduced profits. But is that bad for consumers? You could argue that it will lead to a reduction in R&D, maybe there’s a knock-on impact in terms of reduced innovation, but that could also be self-defeating for the OEMs.
Together, and often the same.
Bucking the trend
There will always be a minority of people willing to pay top dollar for the latest thing. Realistically, that’s based on a mixture of alluring hardware and effective marketing. Looking around for an exception to the dwindling profit rule, Apple is an obvious elephant in the room.
Even the average selling price of the iPhone has declined since 2010. It has gone from $702 to $657 in 2014. But for the most part Apple still fits the old model. It sells its flagship at a premium price and only discounts when the next version is released. The fact it has its own exclusive platform, a strong brand, and high customer satisfaction and loyalty are just some of the reasons.
It’s difficult to argue the demise of the traditional flagship in the face of the iPhone’s continued success, but the Android smartphone market is clearly a different beast.
Can Apple buck the trend indefinitely?
Shifting strategies
We’ve seen a couple of strategies to try and combat this general demise from Samsung, the master of the multi-pronged approach. Two of them look like they might have legs.
First, the trend towards bigger displays as phablets take off has largely been driven by the success of Samsung’s Galaxy Note series. People seem to be willing to pay more for bigger devices and phablets are taking over as the new flagships. LG went as far as to merge the two, with the G3 and G4 being clear flagships that are also phablet sized. Apple jumped on that bandwagon too, because the 6 Plus is clearly superior to the standard iPhone 6.
Second, the innovative curved display design of the S6 Edge led to better sales than anticipated. Apparently, Samsung expected the normal S6 to outsell the Edge significantly, but it didn’t. Considering the Edge was also more expensive at release, there’s clearly still a hunger for sexy new devices that innovate. It will be interesting to see what happens with the S6 Edge+ as it combines both trends and is now the most expensive smartphone in Samsung’s line-up.
Samsung has an Edge over the competition, but for how long?
Still kicking
There definitely is a decline in the traditional flagship phone model. We can see it clearest if we look at something like the HTC One M9. Manufacturers can’t get away with releasing the same phone as last year, no matter how gorgeous the design may be. People want some new features or design tweaks they can clearly identify, even if they are a bit puffed up by the marketing department, or balanced with steps backwards in other areas.
Flagship territory and pricing has also been an uphill struggle for Sony. And none of the up and coming field in the OEM charts, including Lenovo (and Motorola), Huawei, Xiaomi, ZTE, and Alcatel sell phones in the $700 or $800 price bracket.
Having said all that, there’s still room for a sizeable niche of premium-priced phones that offer a mixture of cutting edge features, gorgeous design, and clever marketing. The traditional flagship may be sinking, but you can’t count it out just yet.
28
Aug
LG’s Nexus 5 (2015) could be available from September 29, claims Korean website
Fans of LG’s work on previous Nexus phones are anxiously looking forward to the so-called Nexus 5 (2015), a device that has leaked extensively over the past few weeks.
One detail that has eluded us so far is the LG Nexus’ release date, but if this report from Korean website MKPost is accurate, we’re only a month away from the phone’s grand entrance.
MKPost claims that the Nexus 5 (2015) will hit the Google Store on September 29. Reportedly, this information comes from an anonymous source who has correctly predicted the release date of the original Nexus 5, back in 2013. The LG Nexus will be made available through the Google Store in South Korea, says the report, but it’s not clear whether September 29 is when the phone launches internationally or in Korea.
The source didn’t know whether Huawei’s Nexus would launch at the same date.
To be perfectly clear, this is a story from a source that isn’t known for tech rumors reporting. That considered, September 29 makes sense for the release of the Nexus 5 (2015). Google appears ready to introduce Android 6.0 Marshmallow (with the recent release of the final SDK) and Android Pay is right around the corner. Google typically launches Nexus smartphones around October, and late September fits that timeline.
What else do we know about the LG-made Nexus? Provided the body of reports is not hopelessly flawed, we know quite a lot: just earlier this week we’ve seen a purported spec sheet, and hands-on images and renders based on CAD schematics of the device give us a pretty good idea of what to expect. Check out our rumor roundup for more on the LG Nexus (and its “Made in China” counterpart).
Thoughts on this potential release date?
28
Aug
LG launches metallic Gold and Titanium Black variants of the G4 in India
After a successful launch of the leather and ceramic white variants of the G4 in India earlier this year, LG has today released two metallic colorways of the handset in the region — Gold and Titanium Black.
As you’d expect, the new hues retain the same diamond shaped pattern on the backplate of the device and are manufactured from the same plastic as previous versions.
The internals of the new models remain identical to all other versions of the G4, meaning these handsets pack a 5.5-inch QHD display, a Snapdragon 808 SoC, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, a 16MP rear-facing camera and a 3,000mAh removable battery.
Pricing of the device hasn’t changed, either — so you’ll be able to pick up either the Gold or Titanium Black G4 for a rather hefty INR 40,000 ($605).
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28
Aug
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, HitRECord and LG will work together on future projects
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, HitRECord and LG have announced a collaboration to support the development of creative content. The partnership will build upon LG’s ambitions to celebrate and support creators across the world.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt said his production company, HitRECord, can be joined by anyone. As long as you have something to share, you can join. He also says LG understands the power of the internet, as it now enables anyone to create and share their own content, this makes them the perfect partner.
We’re partnering with Joseph Gordon-Levitt (@hitRECordJoe) and @hitRECord. What will we create together? #LGxHRhttps://t.co/6csSisyKEz
— LG USA Mobile (@LGUSAMobile) August 27, 2015
Press release:
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Aug. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A. (LG) announced that it is partnering with actor, writer and director, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and his Emmy Award winning production company HitRECord to support the development of creative content. The innovative collaboration will build upon LG’s ambition to celebrate and support creators across the world, spanning a series of projects over the coming year, including some firsts for Gordon-Levitt and HitRECord.
HitRECord is an online collaborative production company, founded and directed by Gordon-Levitt. The company has created short films, published books, released records, and produced two seasons of Hit Record on TV with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, their unique take on the half-hour variety show format. Further details about the LG partnership have been released by Gordon-Levitt at: http://on.fb.me/1Jy8Yw7.
“HitRECord is a community that anyone can join. It doesn’t matter who you are, if you have something to share, all you need is to go out there and do it,” said Gordon-Levitt. “In the past, the movies and shows we’d watch could only be made by certain people, and the stories we’d hear would only come from a limited number of perspectives. Technology is changing all that, and giving more people the opportunity to share their own, unique stories. LG understands this and that’s why we’re embarking on this partnership. They’ll be supporting us, and our community, by collaborating on new projects, and providing the tools we need to make the best art possible.”
Beginning this week, HitRECord will be calling on its community of artists, including film makers, musicians and writers, to kick off the first project coming out of this partnership – a collaborative effort to create a short film focused on the “In-Between Moments.”
“The ‘In-Between Moments’ happen all throughout the day and can be beautiful, or spontaneous, or fleeting – but they give life its texture. This concept was originally contributed by an artist on our site named “sazzyyazzy.’ I love the idea, and can’t wait to explore this further with the support of LG,” said Gordon-Levitt.
Gordon-Levitt’s call to action to the HitRECord community is now available at: http://www.hitrecord.org/collaborations/10590. The project is open to anyone, whether they are a professional artist or just someone who has something to share – anyone can join the HitRECord community and contribute.
“We’re committed to helping everyone from professional artists to the everyday person – democratizing the ability for the world to make and share meaningful content. This is how Joseph and the HitRECord community work as well, so for us, it’s a natural partnership and we look forward to results of our collaboration,” said Chang Ma, senior vice president of LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A., Inc. “Joseph is not a celebrity spokesperson – he is an established artist. Together, we are going to tap into HitRECord’s powerful community of creative individuals to deliver on our promise that through purposeful innovation, we can help tell better stories and bring those beautiful, “in-between moments” to life.”
In its constant pursuit to create the technology people truly want, LG recently launched LG G4 with one of the most sophisticated cameras available on any smartphone. Anyone, from professionals to amateur photographers can take amazing near-DSLR pictures.
About LG Electronics MobileComm USA, Inc.
LG Electronics MobileComm, based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the U.S. sales subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc. a global innovator and trend leader in the global mobile communications industry. LG is driving the evolution of mobile forward with its highly competitive core technologies in the areas of display, battery and camera optics and strategic partnerships with noted industry leaders. LG’s consumer-centric products — including the flagship premium G Series models — incorporate unique, ergonomic designs and intuitive UX features that enhance the user experience. The company remains committed to leading consumers into the era of convergence, maximizing inter-device connectivity between smartphones, tablets and a wide range of home and portable electronics products. For more information, please visit www.LG.com.
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27
Aug
LG’s Rolly is a full-size wireless keyboard for your mobile device that rolls up into a solid bar
If you’ve ever sat in a coffee shop with your smartphone or tablet, wishing you had a physical keyboard you could carry in your coat pocket so you could type out your dissertation with ease, it seems that LG has listened. LG’s Rolly Keyboard is a full-size wireless keyboard that supports devices up to 10 inches and rolls up into a solid bar when not in use.
Due to be unveiled at the IFA in Berlin next week, the Rolly Keyboard features high-contrast keys, and a built-in mobile device stand that you can slot your smartphone or tablet into. It’s made of impact-resistant polycarbonate and black ABS plastic, which enables the Rolly Keyboard to withstand a ‘drop or two’ according to LG. Comfort-wise, the Rolly Keyboard’s 4 rows of keys have a key pitch of 17mm, as opposed to the 18mm pitch most desktop keyboards offer.
The Rolly Keyboard runs off a single AAA battery, which is said to last around 3 months. Handily enough, you can also connect 2 devices to the Rolly Keyboard simultaneously via Bluetooth 3.0, switching between the two with a single key press.
Details on pricing are unavailable at present, although it is known that the Rolly Keyboard will launch in the US in September, with other key markets in Asia, Europe and Latin America following suit in the fourth quarter of 2015. More details are promised when it is announced at IFA 2015 next week.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Full Press Release:
LG DEVELOPS FULL-SIZE KEYBOARD FOR POCKETS
SEOUL, Aug. 27, 2015 — In an effort to capture a larger share of the fast-growing mobile accessories market, LG Electronics (LG) will unveil the industry’s first solid rollable wireless portable keyboard at IFA 2015 in Berlin, Germany. Unlike other portable keyboards on the market, LG’s Rolly Keyboard (model KBB-700) folds up along the four rows to create an easy-to-carry “stick” that fits into one’s pocket as easily as any purse or briefcase.
Featuring high-contrast keys and a fold-out mobile device stand, typing on Rolly Keyboard is extremely comfortable because its 17mm key pitch is nearly as generous as the 18mm key pitch found on most desktop keyboards. Made of impact-resistant and durable polycarbonate and ABS plastic, typing on the keyboard offers satisfying tactile feedback not found on flexible silicone keyboards. Two sturdy arms fold out to support smartphones as well as tablets 1 in an upright position. Simply unfolding the Rolly Keyboard enables the auto pairing function to connect easily to two different devices at the same time via Bluetooth 3.0 with the ability to toggle between the two with a simple key press. A single AAA battery powers the keyboard for up to three months of average use.
“LG Rolly Keyboard is just one of the many premium input devices we’ll be unveiling in the coming months as we expand our accessories offerings,” said Seo Young-jae, vice president in charge of Innovative Personal Devices at LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The goal was to create a product that could add more value to LG smartphones and tablets at the same time offering a unique design proposition that hadn’t been explored before.”
The Rolly Keyboard will make its debut in September in the United States, followed by key markets in Europe, Latin America and Asia in the fourth quarter. Prices and details of availability will be announced locally at the time of launch. Visitors to IFA 2015 can see LG Rolly Keyboard up close in Hall 18 of Messe Berlin from September 4-9.
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27
Aug
LG introduces the LG Rolly Keyboard, a “full-size keyboard for pockets”
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Let’s be real – no matter how good on-screen keyboards get, they’re still no match for a physical keyboard. For people who do lots of typing, there’s no substitute, and LG has just launched a new product that it hopes will make these people happy: the LG Rolly Keyboard. Despite its unusual name, the Rolly Keyboard is actually a pretty cool piece of kit, giving you a full-size keyboard that is wireless (via Bluetooth) and with one AAA battery last 3 months without a change. However, the Rolly Keyboard’s best party trick is the ability to be rolled up into a stick to be transported – perhaps not quite in a pocket as LG says, but pretty close.
LG isn’t just going to stop with the Rolly Keyboard, however. As LG’s VP of Innovative Personal Devices, Seo Young-jae, says:
“LG Rolly Keyboard is just one of the many premium input devices we’ll be unveiling in the coming months as we expand our accessories offerings.”
If it’s more products like the Rolly Keyboard, keep it coming LG. LG says that the Rolly Keyboard will be available in the US in September and availability in Latin America, Europe and Asia will follow in Q4 this year – no word on pricing however.
What do you think about the LG Rolly Keyboard?
The post LG introduces the LG Rolly Keyboard, a “full-size keyboard for pockets” appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
27
Aug
LG Rolly wireless keyboard folds into a stick you can fit in any pocket
The mobile accessory market is booming and LG sure doesn’t want to stay at the bench. The Korean manufacturer has been hard at work and today they are announcing one of the most interesting wireless keyboards we have seen in a while. The LG Rolly is a pretty awesome contraption with a mechanism that allows it to be… well, rolled into what looks like a long stick (or thin burrito).
The benefit of such an accessory is that it fits in any pocket and can be easily carried anywhere. To make matters even more convenient, a stand for mobile devices also folds out of it, making it easy to prop up any tablet and start typing away.
OK, so those aspects of the device are pretty awesome, but we know what most of you are thinking: that thing looks tiny! And it is, but LG promises a reasonably good typing experience. They claim its comfort is hard to beat, as “its 17 mm key pitch is nearly as generous as the 18 mm key pitch found on most desktop keyboards”. The arms are said to be “sturdy” and the keyboard feedback is unlike those cheap silicone keyboards. And while the product looks rather flimsy, LG claims the Rolly will handle a drop or two thanks to the durable polycarbonate and ABS plastic it touts.
Don’t let the keyboard’s basic look fool you, either; this thing is pretty feature-full. It can connect to two devices at once, and you can switch between them with a simple key press. As you can see in the video (embedded below), the LG Rolly can also auto-connect to any device, and it turns off when not in use, so as to save battery. And while we are on the topic, let us remind you battery life shouldn’t really be a problem. The LG Rolly runs off a single AAA battery, which lasts up to 3 months with normal usage.
Interested? I sure am. Sadly, we have no idea about pricing just yet. What we do know is that it launches in the US this September. Other key markets in Latin America, Europe and Asia will follow “in the fourth quarter”. The LG Rolly will be showcased at IFA, so we’ll try to give you a quick look at it from the show floor! Who is buying?
27
Aug
LG made a solid, roll-up keyboard for your tablet or giant smartphone
To the untrained eye, LG’s new Bluetooth keyboard looks like a (very long) mobile battery, but that’s because it’s all bundled up. Unfurl the Rolly and you’ll get a “full-size” keyboard that automatically switches on and connects to your nearest (LG?) tablet. There’s a stand built into the top of the device, which will hold tablets up to ten inches big. The keys are made of solid plastic (not the flat, squishy kind), which LG hopes will offer a typing experience close to what you’re used to on your PC. The keyboard is just the start: the company says it plans to offer even more “input devices” in the next few months. The Rolly will launch this September in the US first, rolling out to the rest of the world soon after. (You’re welcome.)
Filed under:
Peripherals, Tablets, LG
Source:
LG
Tags: bluetooth, BluetoothKeyboard, ifa, ifa2015, keyboard, lg, video
26
Aug
LG Nexus 5 to have a Snapdragon 808 chipset, 3GB of RAM, leak says
A new leak coming from Chinese social media website Weibo is hinting at what hardware the rumored LG Nexus 5 will be sporting. We’ve seen many rumors regarding the Huawei-made Nexus 6 recently, but now the LG Nexus 5 is taking the spotlight with some impressive specifications.
The device is said to feature a Snapdragon 808 chipset, a 5.2-inch 2K display, 3GB of LPDDR3 RAM, and a 13-megapixel IMX278 Sony rear-camera. Past leaks have pointed towards the Nexus 5 sporting a fingerprint scanner on the back of the device as well as having USB Type-C.
Some other details say that the LG Nexus 5 will feature the same OIS technology in the LG G4’s camera. It’s also said that the camera will have laser focus and will take better stills than the Huawei Nexus 6.
Keep in mind that these are just rumors and nothing official. Fall’s about to hit, and we’re rapidly getting closer to around the time Google announces its yearly Nexus handset refresh. That said, leaks like these will no doubt become more commonplace as we get closer to an official unveiling.
LG’s Nexus 5 and Huawei’s Nexus 6 are both rumored to debut this year. Which one will you be rooting for?
source: Weibo
via: G for Games
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26
Aug
LG’s non-curved 4K OLED TVs are finally here
LG is finally ready to sell the OLED 4K TVs it revealed in January, including the first ever flat models. The Korean company has invested huge sums in OLED tech, believing that consumers will be drawn in by the improved black levels, better off-axis viewing angles and more saturated colors. We’re pleasantly surprised to learn that the two flat UltraHD models (in 65- and 55-inch sizes) also have HDR capability with improved color range — provided you have content that supports it. If you’re more into curved 4K OLEDs, there’s a new 55-inch model, bringing the total number of LG OLED 4K TVs to nine.
Other features on all the new sets include ultra-thin panels (the 55-inch models are thinner than any smartphone, the company said), minuscule bezels, the webOS 2.0 smart TV platform and Harman/Kardon speakers. There’s no word on pricing yet, but the TVs will be available in Europe and the US by the end of the month. LG will also show off the TVs at IFA 2015 in Berlin, and we expect that they’ll reveal a bunch of new models as well.
Filed under:
Home Entertainment, LG
Source:
LG
Tags: 4K, HDR, IFA2015, lg, OLED, TV, UltraHD
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