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Project Fi now works with LG's newest phones and Moto's affordable G6
In spite of recent additions, Google's Project Fi hasn't had great device choices. You've hadto buy a Pixel if you want a high-end phone, and the most affordable modern option has been the mid-tier Moto X4. No more -- Project Fi now supports three more third-party phones that fill in some huge gaps in the experimental carrier's roster. You can now use LG's G7 ThinQ and just-unveiled V35 ThinQ, for starters. They're not cheap at $749 and $899 respectively, but they do give you a viable choice if you feel the Pixel 2 is long in the tooth (or just prefer LG's self-branded designs).
Motorola aims to keep the cheap phone crown with the G6 and G6 Play
Year after year, Motorola churns out some of the best inexpensive Android phones money can buy and parent company Lenovo is eager to keep that streak alive. That's where the new Moto G6 and G6 Play come in — Motorola has embraced some of the trends that have made this year's premium phones so palatable, and that's great news for smartphone shoppers who don't feel like shelling out flagship-level wads of cash.
LG opens 'Software Upgrade Center' to accelerate Android updates
Despite repeated promises of change by Google and its various hardware partners, slow and spotty rollouts are still the rule rather than the exception when it comes to new versions of the Android operating system. LG's latest plan to turn that around is a new facility at its R&D campus in South Korea called the Software Upgrade Center, which it said is dedicated to "providing customers worldwide with faster, timelier, smartphone operating system and software updates." Its first task is to handle a rollout of Android Oreo for the current flagship G6 phone (current until the G7 launches in May) that will start in Korea later this month. LG Electronics CEO Mr. Jo Seong-jin said in a statement that "Stable and consistent upgrades will demonstrate to our customers that LG smartphones have long and reliable lifespans." Beyond initiatives like Project Treble, if LG can consistently keep its devices supported faster and through more iterations of the operating system, that might help raise its profile compared to the competition. But it has to deliver the goods first -- and hopefully before Android P emerges from beta testing.
Amazon discounts LG's G6 if you accept Prime ads
Amazon didn't have much joy selling its own phone, but has achieved plenty by selling other people's under its Prime Exclusive Phones label. The deal is that users get a discount off the price of a mid-range handset in exchange for Amazon slinging you ads on your lock screen. If you turned your nose up at an Alcatel A50 or Moto G5, then perhaps LG's early-2017 flagship, the G6, might be more of a temptation.
The best smartphones and mobile gear for students
Some of us here at Engadget can remember a time when cellphones on college campuses were strictly "for emergencies" (read: calls home to Mom and Dad). By now, of course, things have changed: Our handsets come with us everywhere, and most of us don't have to worry about pissing off our parents by exceeding our minutes allotment. We imagine many of today's college freshmen already have phones, but for those of you who've earned an upgrade, we crammed five into our back-to-school guide, including some budget options. Not in the market yet for a new phone? You might still want an external battery pack, a fast microSDXC card or, heaven forbid, a "selfie case," which is definitely a thing.
LG Q6 matches big FullVision displays to midrange phones
We loved LG's G6 and its 18:9 aspect ratio FullVision screen, and now the company will offer that setup in several smaller, lower-priced phones. While the G6+ takes care of the high-end with more storage and premium sound, the Q6+, Q6 and Q6α are aimed squarely at midrange buyers. Instead of the G6's Snapdragon 821 CPU and a 5.7-inch display, all three feature last year's Snapdragon 435 chip and 5.5-inch 2,160 x 1,080 displays. Where each individual model differs is in the memory setup available: Q6+: 4GB RAM / 64GB ROM Q6: 3GB RAM / 32GB ROM Q6α: 2GB RAM / 16GB ROM
Netflix HDR arrives on Android, but only for the LG G6
Netflix isn't content to simply stream movies in high dynamic range to your compatible TV -- it's taking the experience mobile, too. As 9to5Google notes, any device with an HDR-capable screen will support the new feature, but the only phone with an HDR display that Dolby has approved -- for its Dolby Vision tech -- is the LG G6. It's very possible that your shiny new Galaxy S8 from Samsung will get the blessing in the future as well.
Where to buy LG's G6 in the UK
The launch of LG's latest smartphone, the G6, has been somewhat staggered. First there were pre-orders, and then a prerelease specifically for those eager customers. But over the last few days, the G6 has gone on general sale pretty much everywhere. After last year's ambitious but tepidly received, modular G5, LG has gone back to basics -- if you can call ample power, a big and beautiful display and two primary cameras "basics," that is. Intrigued? Well, here are all the carriers and retailers in the UK that'd be more than happy to sell you one.
LG's smartphones are no longer hurting the company
It's a testament to how topsy-turvy the mobile world is that a company can make its seventh successive quarterly loss and still feel good. That's because LG's mobile division, which managed to burn almost 500 billion Korean won in the last three months of 2016, has managed to stem the flow of blood from its neck. In fact, in the first quarter of 2017, the division managed to lose just 200 million Korean won, or $176,206.
LG G6 review: Finally back in the race
Let's be real: Last year's G5 was ambitious, but it never lived up to its potential. Even now I have to give props to LG: It took guts to make that phone, and it took guts to admit at a Mobile World Congress press conference that it was a step in the wrong direction. "We get it," the company seemed to say. "We were wrong, but we listened and did better." And you know what? It did. The props I offer to LG now are not only for moxie but also for surprisingly good execution. Apart from adding a surprisingly long screen, the company gave up on trying to redefine how smartphones work and built a more conservative machine that played to people's desires instead. It's a more sensible kind of flagship for LG. Too bad the competition this year is fiercer than ever.
LG sweetens its G6 deal with a free TV
LG wants you to take a look at its upcoming G6 smartphone so badly that it's partnered with Sprint and Verizon to offer a fairly ridiculous deal. When you pre-order the G6, each carrier will give you a free big screen TV. That's in addition to the free Google Home already on offer.
LG lures G6 shoppers with a free Google Home
LG is giving away a $129 Google Home music-playing assistant to anyone who orders its flagship G6 device (arriving in stores on April 7th) from T-Mobile, AT&T and other carriers prior to the end of April. The handset will be one of the first non-Pixel handset to get Google Assistant, so the promotional push does make a certain amount of sense -- buyers will be able to use the AI helper on either device.
LG G6's dual cameras are good but far from perfect
Dual cameras are now the standard option when it comes to flagship phones, and LG has already put the setup to work in previous models. With the G6, the company opted for two 13-megapixel Sony cameras instead of one larger and one smaller like it did with the modular G5. The combination of the dual lenses, Qualcomm's Snapdragon zoom technology and LG's existing camera features help the G6 make a compelling case, especially in terms of imagery.
Watch LG's G6 wallpaper get assembled by hand
During my visit to LG's headquarters in South Korea a few weeks ago, one surprising thing I learned was that the G6's hero wallpaper -- the one with a subtle "6" in it -- was not a digital render, but was in fact a combination of paper, acrylic, paint and two months of patience.
MWC's best phones head-to-head: It's (mostly) about the display (updated)
While flagships may have been scarce at MWC this year, there were still more than a few notable smartphone announcements early in the week. We've put the biggest ones so far in a handy table so you can compare specs, features and more to decide which one might be your next daily driver. Who knows, we may be in for a few surprises now that the show officially started, but for now, here are the five handsets from Barcelona that you need to know.
LG G6 ditches modularity in favor of essentials
LG's handful of recent teasers for its new G6 flagship left us wondering if there'd be any surprises left for us at its launch event today. Back in early January, the company was rather frank about moving away from the G5's modular design due to a lack of consumer interest, followed by a promise of increased safety measures after the Samsung Note 7 fiasco. While it may seem as if LG has taken a more conservative approach this time, it used three teasers to emphasize the G6's unique 18:9 "FullVision" display.
LG's G6 is official
The LG G6 is official, but it's not much of a surprise. We already knew that the G5's modular capabilities were out, in favor of a more traditional aluminum and Gorilla Glass shell. We also knew that the phone would have an unusual 18:9 display, and a quad-DAC system similar to the one found in the LG V20 last year. Heck, we even knew what the phone looked like, thanks to a bunch of render leaks. So what's left to announce? Hopefully quite a bit. Now more than ever, LG needs a 'complete' flagship that can compete with Samsung and save its struggling mobile business. Update: Find our hands-on impressions here.
Live from LG's G6 Day at Mobile World Congress!
The time has come. The LG G6 hasn't exactly been a well-kept secret, but we're poised to finally meet the company's new handset in Barcelona. Keep your browser locked here to our liveblog to catch all the news as it happens. And who knows -- we may even be in for a few surprises.
Get your LG MWC 2017 liveblog here
Coming to you live from Barcelona, we're delivering coverage of the LG MWC 2017 press event. Keep it locked here for all the news as it's announced at 12:00PM CET (6:00AM ET). We're expecting to finally meet the much-teased G6 in an official capacity. Who knows, we might hear some news about a few accessories as well. Whatever the case may be, we'll bring you all the news as it's announced here in Spain. We'll have all the announcements here in our liveblog starting at noon local time.
LG explains why the G6 has a big 'FullVision' display
Even though LG has yet to fully take the wraps off of its next flagship smartphone, the latest teaser explains why you need the G6 and its "FullVision" display. Measuring 5.7-inches diagonally with a QuadHD+ resolution of 2,880 x 1,440, it has an unusual 18:9 aspect ratio that's taller than you're used to. Because of the extra space, however, it has plenty of room to fit two windows next to each other when held horizontally. LG's press release brags that the G6 is expected to kick off an "era" of similar phones, and its leaked design does seem like a sign of what's to come.
