When LG Electronics launched its flagship G6, the device received a mixed response from consumers and critics. It was powered by year-old Snapdragon 821 rather than the latest Snapdragon 835, which runs the Samsung Galaxy S8. Now it has a new competitor in the form of OnePlus 5, which has a more powerful processor. The Korean company has upped its game by launching a new LG G6 Plus in South Korea.
What’s new in LG G6 Plus?
The LG G6 Plus was announced earlier this month. The device went on sale in LG’s home market on Friday, June 30, reports Yonhap News Agency. It has a QHD FullVision display similar to the standard G6. The new phablet offers 128GB of built-in storage, and is targeted at heavy multimedia users. It also supports Qi wireless charging method, which the original LG G6 lacked in South Korea.
The electronics giant also launched a more affordable 32GB storage version of the original LG G6. Until now, the company was offering only a 64GB model of G6 in the Korean market. The LG G6 Plus has been priced at 957,000 Korean won ($838) in LG’s home country. The 32GB G6 has a price tag of 819,500 Korean won ($718). The G6 Plus has several new features to justify its higher price tag.
The phone comes bundled with the high-quality B&O PLAY earphones to let you enjoy the sound from Hi-Fi Quad DAC. The LG G6 Plus is available in three color options: Optical Astro Black, Optical Terra Gold, and Optical Marine Blue. These colors have a lenticular film that makes the panel change shades as the light changes. The standard G6 will also get two of the new colors: Optical Terra Gold and Optical Marine Blue.
LG plans to launch the smartphone in other markets as well with wireless charging. However, it hasn’t yet specified which countries would get the device. The G6 Plus has a metal and glass body. It includes 4GB RAM and a 3,300mAh non-removable battery. It is powered by the same 64-bit Snapdragon 821 that runs the standard G6. It also has two 13-megapixel camera sensors on the back.
The Korean company also unveiled three software features with the G6 Plus. LG promised that the features would be rolled out to the entire G6 line via a software update. The features are Face Print, Low Power Consumption, and Covered Lens warning. The Face Print unlocks the phone through facial recognition in less than a second. Low Power Consumption, as the name suggests, reduces the battery consumption. The Covered Lens warning prevents users from accidentally capturing unwanted fingers while taking photos.
LG G6 Plus users get LG Pay
The new LG G6 Plus is also equipped with LG Pay, the Korean company’s mobile payment wallet. LG Pay relies on the Wireless Magnetic Communication (WMC) technology, allowing users to make payments by touching their phones to regular credit card devices. The feature will also be rolled out to other LG smartphones via a software update.
LG Pay includes fingerprint recognition and one-time password for security. The Korean company has been working on its proprietary payment system since 2015 to take on Apple Pay, Android Pay, and Samsung Pay. LG said it had partnered with four Korean credit card firms – BC, KB, Lotte, and Shinhan – for LG Pay. It intends to get all credit card firms onboard by the end of this year.
Will there be an LG G6 Mini?
Meanwhile, leaked internal documents have shown that LG was working on a smaller variant of G6 called LG G6 Mini. The mini version is said to have a 5.4-inch display with 80% screen-to-body ratio. Internal documents suggest that it would have an 18:9 aspect ratio, same as the original G6. A G6 Mini wouldn’t be a huge surprise given that LG’s biggest rivals Apple and Samsung also offer their flagship phones in at least two different screen sizes.
It is yet to be seen whether the G6 Mini would have the same specs as the standard model or it would feature watered down specs. It is expected to have a mid-range price tag. But it would still face fierce competition from OnePlus 5, which offers premium specs at a mid-range price tag. It is unclear if or when the G6 Mini would be launched.
Even if LG does launch a mini G6, it might not be available worldwide. Such phones with watered down specs are targeted at emerging markets where most buyers cannot afford to buy the standard and more expensive models.
