The modular LG G5 was an outright dud. Last year’s LG G6 was an exciting phone but failed to capture the imagination of consumers. Now LG Electronics feels the need to change the LG G7 moniker. Yes, the so-called G7 that has been doing rounds in the rumor mill for weeks may never see the light of the day. Instead, the device will be launched under a new name, according to a report coming out of South Korea.
LG G7 moniker doesn’t go with LG’s plans
Only time will tell whether changing the LG G7 moniker would revive the fortunes of LG’s mobile business. Even though LG’s smartphone division isn’t doing great, the company seems committed to the mobile business. LG recently appointed a new CEO for its Mobile Communications business in hope to turn things around.
An LG Electronics executive told Digital Daily (via The Investor) that the company was planning to ditch the G-series moniker in favor of a new flagship brand. It means the Korean company is looking to start fresh in 2018. The G-series has its roots in the Optimus G, which was launched in 2012. A year later, the company dropped the name “Optimus” to launch LG G2. The LG V-series arrived a couple of years later. Since then, the G-series is refreshed in the first half and the V-series in the second half of the year.
The company hasn’t yet decided the final name of the handset, said the LG executive. LG is exploring different options such as “rebranding the phone with a new name” or numbering it with a “two-digit number.” Changing the LG G7 moniker shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. Many vendors including Apple and Samsung have rebranded their flagship models to make them more appealing to consumers.
For instance, Samsung ditched the Galaxy Note 6 to jump straight to Note 7 in 2016. Apple went from iPhone 8 to iPhone X (ten) to mark the 10th anniversary of its iconic brand. Microsoft had jumped from Windows 8 to Windows 10 to signal that the new OS would be a much bigger upgrade. LG might be looking to change the LG G7 moniker because a G7 looks like an older generation compared to a Galaxy S9 and iPhone X, even though the G7 (or whatever the company calls it) would pack the latest technology. Psychology at work here.
If LG goes ahead with a “two-digit number” plan, the G7 could be called G70. The name would be in the same format as the LG V-series. But then it would leave a gap between the G70 and the upcoming LG V40, which is expected to debut in the second half of this year.
The Korean company’s G-series might be going through a bit of identity crisis following the failures of LG G5 and G6. But the success of LG V30 proves that the company still has the potential to bounce back. The V30 has been praised for its beautiful design and powerful specs.
Rebranded LG G7: Features, specs, and release date
Last month, LG India’s business head Advait Vaidya told media that the upcoming flagship would bring “display innovation.” Vaidya added that the P-OLED FullVision display would remain the “key driver of product innovation.” Since last year, LG Display has significantly improved its OLED technology to close the gap with Samsung’s OLED panels in terms of resolution, HDR support, color gamut, and brightness.
The LG G7 or whatever it’s called is also said to feature an advanced iris scanner. LG Electronics has filed a patent with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for a new iris scanner that would not only securely unlock the device and authenticate transactions, but also protect the user’s sensitive data from unauthorized access. It will verify in real time that the authorized user is looking at the screen before granting access to sensitive apps and data.
It will also track the movement of the user’s pupil in real time to prevent others from using a photo or 3D mask to unlock your phone. According to patent documents, users will have to set up the iris scanner with a dark screen and a light screen. Our iris changes in size depending on the amount of light reaching it. The new setup process would allow the iris scanner to adjust its reading based on the lighting conditions.
LG’s upcoming flagship is expected to come with 5G support, though whether you’ll be able to take advantage of 5G would depend on your wireless carrier. The device will likely be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 chipset. Last year’s LG G6 featured an older Snapdragon 821 when the Snapdragon 835 had already launched. It turned off a lot of buyers. Consumers would be disappointed if LG uses the older SD835 instead of the latest SD845 in the upcoming flagship.
LG Electronics traditionally refreshes the G-series at the Mobile World Congress. The G5 and G6 were launched at the MWC in 2016 and 2017, and went on sale in March of the same year. We can expect the LG G7 to be unveiled at the MWC under a new branding. The phone should go on sale in March.
