Liveblog of LG's G4 Launch Event
Apr 28, 2015, 9:00 AM by Rich Brome @richbrome
LG is holding a major launch event today, and hasn't been shy about dropping hints as to the content. Their new flagship phone for 2015 - the G4 - will be announced. Advance hints have us expecting a stitched leather back (at least as an option) and an advanced camera with a large, high-quality lens and a raw photo mode. We'll be reporting live from the event in downtown NYC. Tune in here.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:41 AM: The phone will support MirrorLink and should be compatible with select VW cars this year.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:39 AM: LG has a new feature called Quick Help to search for certain things, and also stacked the device with Google apps.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:37 AM: LG's gallery app looks EXACTLY like Apple's Photos app.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:36 AM: LG is making heavy use of classical violin passages during the presentation here. Sounds like the opening theme of The American's TV show.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:35 AM: The Snapdragon 808 processo uses GRAM to put the processor to sleep when a still image is on the screen. The company says this helps improve battery life.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:33 AM: The main benefit here is 25% brighter screens, as well as a 50% increase in contrast ratio.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:32 AM: LG is now talking about the display. Not sure I'm sold on the "Quantum IPS: technology and the techno mumbo jumbo being offered here in stage. Will reserve judgement until I see the screen.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:28 AM: LG says this is especially beneficial when skies are overcast.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:27 AM: Rather than give the G4 two flashes, it has one flash and a Color Spectrum Sensor to improve color representation.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:25 AM: LG also says its image sensor is 40% bigger than other sensors. It has optical image stabilization.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:24 AM: LG is talking about the benefits of the camera. The f/1.8 aperture lets in 80% more light than a camera with an aperture of f/2.4.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:22 AM: The camera has lots of new features, including a brand-new "Manual Mode" for those interested in full control over the camera features.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:21 AM: LG confirmed that the G4 will also be offered with a "hammered metal" back cover for those not interested in leather.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:19 AM: LG says: True craftsmanship at its finest.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:19 AM: LG said it spend 12 weeks creating its leather-manufacturing processes. That's crazy.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:17 AM: The 3,000Ah battery is removable.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:17 AM: Lee says the design of the phone makes it stronger and less prone to breakage.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:14 AM: Now on stage we have Frank Lee, director of LG's mobile communications unit.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:14 AM: ...aaaaaaand Jacobs is done. Interesting that they brought him in to talk up the chipset.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:13 AM: Qualcomm says the 808 has sensor-based location assistance, which is far more accurate than GPS -- especially when indoors.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:12 AM: The G4 is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor with X10 LTE. Qualcomm said it specially tuned the 808 for the LG G4 to improve call quality and offer (theoretical) download speeds of 400 Mbps.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:10 AM: Qualcomm is of course know for its application processors and cellular modems.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:10 AM: Cho is introducing Dr. Paul Jacobs, Exec Chairman of Qualcom. That's sort of interesting.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:09 AM: Based on pictures of the phone shown here at the launch event, it looks like the G4 will be offered with a non-leather back cover.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:08 AM: The phone is based on Android 5.0 Lollipop.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:08 AM: LG has refreshed its user interface, now in its fourth generation, and took care to boost the calendar feature of the phone.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:08 AM: The phone uses new screen technology called IPS Quantum Display.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:06 AM: (Um, it looks like half a football.)
Apr 28, 2015, 10:06 AM: Is says the leather backing ives it "comfortable elegance."
Apr 28, 2015, 10:06 AM: LG wanted the G4 to be more a hunk of metal and glass.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:05 AM: You can be sure Gregor Clegane, aka The Mountain, from Game of Thrones would be happy to carry this phone around.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:05 AM: So, the LG G4 has a leather skin.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:04 AM: Here it us, official launch video!
Apr 28, 2015, 10:04 AM: (Cho has only been at the helm of LG's mobile business for five months.)
Apr 28, 2015, 10:03 AM: "The purpose of innovation should not be just to show off new technologies." It has to have some benefit to the end user.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:02 AM: People now do many, many things with their smartphones, but some consumers have a hard time mastering the device.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:02 AM: High-resolution displays and advanced cameras are important for the "visual generation."
Apr 28, 2015, 10:01 AM: "At LG, we began to ask ourselves how to give the phone more personality."
Apr 28, 2015, 10:01 AM: LG says "there are a variety of designs available." Now every phone looks the same.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:00 AM: President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile, Juno Cho, is on stage.
Apr 28, 2015, 10:00 AM: LG now showing a pre-roll video of happy people staring blankly.
Apr 28, 2015, 9:59 AM: LG is showing us a montage of photos captured with the G4 ... as the G4 is flown around various cities on a drone.
Apr 28, 2015, 9:34 AM: A quick programming note: there's no cell service up here (there's no DAS in One WTC?!) and LG's Wi-Fi network isn't cooperating with our live-blogging photo equipment, so unfortunately our live-blog photos may not be as live as usual.
Apr 28, 2015, 9:32 AM: We're seated at the event and ready to liveblog from the 64th-floor sky lobby of One World Trade Center in NYC.
Comments
No messages