Electronics manufacturer LG skipped its usual launch of its top-end smartphone at Mobile World Congress in February, and instead chose to delay the unveiling by a couple of months.
The new flagship, the LG G7 ThinQ, was unveiled this week and follows all the trends in high-end smartphones released this year, with few distinguishing features. It incorporates the infamous 'top notch' that Apple introduced last year with the iPhone X.
It is a 6.1-inch bezel-less device with the 19.5:9 ratio (which means it is longer but not wider) and a dual camera set-up, with artificial intelligence (AI).
These are all features that rivals Samsung, Huawei and Apple included in their premium releases earlier this year.
However, Hwang Jeong-hwan, president of LG Electronics Mobile Communications, says: "The LG G7 ThinQ is strongly focused on the fundamentals and its launch marks a new chapter for our company...Through the combination of personalised and useful AI functionalities with meaningful smartphone features, this is LG's most convenient smartphone yet."
The LG G7 ThinQ is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset and has 64GB internal memory, although there is a plus version that comes with 128GB. It is rated IP68 for dust- and water-resistance and has a glass back. The screen has a brightness which LG says lets users view it clearly even under direct sunlight.
LG was one of the first companies to feature two cameras on the back of the device. It has always had a normal lens and a wide angle lens. The LG G7 ThinQ has a standard 16MP lens with a super-wide 16MP 107^0 lens. AI is used to identify what is in the photo and select the correct pre-set mode for the scene, such as sunrise or landscape.
The camera also now has a portrait mode that blurs the background behind the photographer's subject to create a 'bokeh' effect.
There is a dedicated AI button on the device, under the volume button, which launches the phone's AI functions. Pressing it once opens Google Assistant, and pressing it twice opens Google Lens (an AI-enabled photo filter system which LG says Google will reveal more about at its developer conference later this year).
The LG G7 ThinQ will roll out this week in South Korea, followed by major markets in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia. It is not yet known when it will be available in South Africa or how much the device will cost.
LG G7 ThinQ specifications:
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Display: 6.1-inch
Memory: 4GB RAM / 64GB ROM with microSD slot
Rear camera: 16MP (F1.9 / 107^0) / 16MP (F1.6 / 71^0)
Front camera: 8MP (F1.9 / 80^0)
Battery: 3 000mAh
OS: Android 8.0 Oreo
Size: 153.2 x 71.9 x 7.9mm
Weight: 162g
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