LG G8 may not be the company's first 5G phone, foldable device rumored for Q3 2019
LG has had a busy but not particularly successful year in the challenging smartphone landscape, losing money on a crowded high-end product portfolio and a bunch of mid-rangers that didn't do enough to stand out from the pack.
With a new captain appointed to right the troubled ship, the company is reportedly in the process of laying out its 2019 roadmap, most likely starting with a January announcement of the mid-end LG Q9.
Powered by a respectable Snapdragon 660 SoC and 4GB RAM, this no doubt affordable handset with a notched 6.1-inch display is expected to make a formal debut at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in just a couple of weeks.
If today’s tentative plans hold up, a high-end LG G8 will then see daylight by the end of March, but surprise, surprise, 5G connectivity might not be onboard. That’s because a separate flagship with a different branding is purportedly scheduled for a March or April launch in Korea and the US supporting next-gen cellular speeds.
As for the company’s long-awaited first foldable device, it looks like the wait will continue until the third quarter of next year. That’s obviously great news for Samsung, although being first may not prove as important in the long run as being the first to deliver a truly game-changing foldable product.
That’s exactly why LG is not rushing in, extending the quality control phase of its foldable phone development to ensure safety and stability. Sounds like a wise plan, at least on paper.
With a new captain appointed to right the troubled ship, the company is reportedly in the process of laying out its 2019 roadmap, most likely starting with a January announcement of the mid-end LG Q9.
If today’s tentative plans hold up, a high-end LG G8 will then see daylight by the end of March, but surprise, surprise, 5G connectivity might not be onboard. That’s because a separate flagship with a different branding is purportedly scheduled for a March or April launch in Korea and the US supporting next-gen cellular speeds.
It remains to be seen if the company’s first 5G-enabled phone will be part of the V family or an altogether new lineup. It’s also unclear if Sprint is the only US wireless service provider interested in carrying this bad boy or if other major operators will join the party. Finally, we currently have no idea if the 4G LTE-limited LG G8 will be unveiled at MWC 2019 in Barcelona or a dedicated event organized elsewhere.
As for the company’s long-awaited first foldable device, it looks like the wait will continue until the third quarter of next year. That’s obviously great news for Samsung, although being first may not prove as important in the long run as being the first to deliver a truly game-changing foldable product.
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