LG Electronics is one of the few vendors that launch their flagship phones in the first quarter of the year. It has traditionally tried to beat its rivals, mainly Samsung, to the market. The rumor mill claims LG G7 will be unveiled in January, which means the device is only a few weeks away. Here are some of the rumored LG G7 features that would set the device apart from competitors.
An advanced iris scanner
A patent filed by LG with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and first spotted by LetsGoDigital suggests that the upcoming flagship would feature an advanced iris scanner. The iris scanner would be capable of doing more than just securely unlocking your phone. It will also help protect your data from unauthorized access. The sensors will grant you access to certain sensitive apps only if it recognizes you as the owner of the phone.
For instance, if you unlock the phone and hand it over to an acquaintance or relative, they would not be able to open the Facebook app because the iris scanner will grant access to the app only to the authorized user (you). According to the patent documents, the iris scanner sets up with a light screen and a dark screen. The setup process is such because your iris changes in size depending on how much light gets to it.
The sensor will adjust its reading based on the ambient light. The advanced iris scanner might arrive just in time for the LG G7. The iris scanning technologies work with infrared light. LG Electronics has developed a camera that could switch from infrared to a regular one. It means fewer sensors will be required on the front, leading to a slimmer top bezel.
When you are trying to access a sensitive app or feature, the iris scanner will ask you to follow the dots with your eyes. It will track the movement of your pupil to ensure that you are a real human and owner of the phone, not a photo or a mask, before giving you access. Your nosy acquaintances will not be able to fool the phone with a photo. If the authentication fails, the phone will let you know via an on-screen notification.
LG G7 could offer 5G connectivity
One of the biggest LG G7 features is said to be 5G support. The G7 would be among the first smartphones to feature 5G connectivity. The upcoming flagship is rumored to come with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X50 5G modem, which would boost its theoretical download speed to 5GB/second. Qualcomm announced the X50 modems more than a year ago, and they will be inside the first smartphones in the first half of 2018.
The 5G connectivity could be an attractive selling point for the LG G7. However, it is unlikely to be the only 5G-capable device in the market for long because other Android vendors will also be pushing 5G around the same time. Also, having a 5G smartphone is only one part of the equation. Whether you will be able to enjoy 5G speed will depend on your wireless carrier.
Other LG G7 features
We can expect LG to keep pushing boundaries for bezel-less technology. The LG G7 would have slimmer top and bottom bezels compared to the G6. It is rumored to have a P-OLED display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. Other expected LG G7 features include a dual camera setup on the back and 6GB RAM, up from 4GB in the G6. It is too early to say which processor will be used in the G7.
Most of the flagship phones coming in 2018 would be powered by Qualcomm’s recently announced Snapdragon 845 SoC. However, LG G7 might not feature the new processor. Earlier this year, LG skipped the Snapdragon 835 and opted for the older Snapdragon 821 for the G6 flagship. So, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Snapdragon 835 inside the G7, but consumers would want the more energy efficient and powerful SD845.
According to Business Korea, LG G7 would be unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) next month in Las Vegas.
