Although not much is known about LG’s upcoming flagship, a new rumor reported on by The Investor suggests that we could see the new LG G7 launch date as early as late April.
A Major Misstep
LG’s mobile division isn’t in the best shape right now. While they are currently in the news for revealing the world’s first 8K TV as well as a more affordable 4K projector, the “G” line sold poorly in 2016 and their phones failed to compete in a market dominated by competitor Samsung. The LG G7 launch will usher in a rebranding of the phones under the leadership of new mobile boss Hwang Jeong-hwan, who just recently assumed the role of “LG Mobile Communications CEO.” There’s an incredible amount of pressure on the LG G7 launch to be a success considering the huge losses of recent predecessors, so Hwang has an uphill battle if he’s to turn around the ailing mobile business and bring it up to match the recent innovation of their more successful TV and projector sales.
In recent years, phones from many Android manufacturers have become largely iterative. With yearly releases simply adding an increase in power and a few minor features, it’s not always a clear decision to make the jump to the latest model – especially considering the expense that often accompanies a flagship phone. The LG G7 launch needs to convert some customers from Samsung if it hopes to succeed in an extremely competitive arena, as they don’t have the success of a recent predecessor to rely on to drive sales based solely off of their brand.
LG G7 Launch: What We Know
This most recent leak (although right now it remains an unconfirmed rumor) comes courtesy The Investor. “A ranking official” at one of the top three mobile networks in South Korea apparently provided the inside information, which means that the leak came from SK Telecom, KT, or LG Uplus. Industry insiders suggested that the phone’s official release date would be April 20th.
This release date is obviously unconfirmed, but it would make sense considering the company’s previous release schedules. The device will likely be revealed in March, which would put it roughly a month later than the 2017 release of the LG G6. Although companies usually try to stick to a yearly release, an extra month may have been required considering how much is riding on the LG G7 launch.
Although this news regarding the release date would fall in line with our expectations, it does rule out a launch at the Mobile World Congress which ends on March 1 in Barcelona. Considering the LG G6 was announced there last year and the LG G5 was also announced at the event a year before, it’s a little puzzling that the LG G7 launch will break that mold.
LG G7 Specifications
While the LG G7 launch may break the mold, the phone needs to separate itself from its predecessors with more than just a delayed launch. The extra time and appointment of Hwang may give the company the time it needs to offer a worthy competitor that is actually worth the attention of consumers worldwide.
As mentioned above, we don’t know too much about the system’s specifications so far. However, current rumors suggest that we’ll see a powerful Snapdragon 845 chipset as well as the bezel-less design we’ve come to expect from high-end phones. Like the LG V30, it’s also expected that the LG G7 will feature a dual camera setup on the rear of the device.
