Flashback: LG's best phones before and after the switch to Android

11 April 2021
LG was in its element when making stylish feature phones, the transition to smartphones was a difficult - and ultimately fatal - one.

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  • WannabeittechSA
  • Xyw
  • 11 Apr 2021

Very sad for me, I am a brand loyal dummy and hate SSung and all it's useless additional software.
LG has always provided a standard of operation that I understood, I have had the G range and my last LG would be the V60, my current model.

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    • AlienKiss
    • 3RM
    • 11 Apr 2021

    Anonymous, 11 Apr 2021they will reborn like nokiaPfff hahaha!
    A replica brand you mean? Nokia doesn't exist anymore.. Now it's just a cheap replica garbage brand that tricks people with the old Nokia name.

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      • Anonymous
      • tDP
      • 11 Apr 2021

      they will reborn like nokia

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        • AlienKiss
        • 3RM
        • 11 Apr 2021

        I was tempted a few times to get an LG phone, but after a little research, I went for a Samsung galaxy phone instead. The main reasons I didn't get one:
        - bootloop issues
        - bad quality displays
        - NO updates
        I went for a Samsung which doesn't have any of those problems, but I admit that the best software update service is by far Sony's. It takes Samsung months to release a new version of Android. Sony on the other hand, if Google releases a new version, in less than a week you will have the update. Without bugs, glitches, bootloops etc.
        Looks like now there's only Samsung and Sony left. Not interested in china brands at all!

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • s%{
          • 11 Apr 2021

          Kangal, 11 Apr 2021I'm not an LG-fanboy, but credit needs to given when d... moreBro you forgot refined and beautifull Always on display which was copied later by samsung,xiaomi and oneplus and camera inside the back cover, mil std and superb pro mode and they last phones are the one which took great colour accurate pics with superb quality and biased DXO came to know it done fake review

            I'm not an LG-fanboy, but credit needs to given when due.

            Here's how LG innovated in the Phone Market:
            - sold phones for affordable prices
            - made their devices available with mass manufacturing capability
            - undertook R&D to increase the parts and build quality of phones
            - participated in measures to increase devices security
            - sold phones with multiple ecosystems (Custom, Symbian, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone, Android)
            - pushed forward the adoption of features that are standard these days (BT, Wifi, GPS, Gyro, 4G etc etc) when it would've been easier to cut-down some features
            - pressured competitors with higher resolution screens, sharper cameras, louder speakers, and faster processors when these cut into their profit margins
            - experimented with the novel/gimmicks like Skinned Android, Rear Buttons, Curved Phone, Healing Plastic, Modular Parts, Air Gestures, Dual-Screen Phones, Rotating Displays, Rollable Phones, etc etc.
            - they also kept features that were "out of fashion", way past their competitors, in order to remain Consumer-Friendly like: Qwerty Keyboards, Non-fragile backplates, User Removable Battery, IrDa Blaster, 3.5mm Headphone Jack, Affordable Flagships, etc etc.

            - made the first touchscreen smartphone (capacitive and finger friendly). LG Prada
            - made the first stabilised video camera in phone (EIS). LG Viewty
            - made the first slow-mo capture in phone (120fps but 320p resolution). LG Viewty
            - made the first 3D camera in a phone. LG Optimus 3D
            - made the first FHD video capture in phone (1920 x 1080). LG Optimus HD
            - made the first dualcore phone (Tegra 2). LG Optimus 2X
            - made the first quadcore phone (Tegra 3). LG Optimus 4X
            - made the first Flagship Killer ($300). Nexus 4
            - made the first Wireless Charging phone (Qi). Nexus 4
            - made the first OIS smartphone (that runs Android). LG G2
            - made the first Slim Bezel phone (way before the iPhone X). LG G2
            - invented the Double-Tap-to-Wake feature. LG G2
            - made the first FHD+ screened phone (1440p). LG G3
            - made the first Leather smartphone (Animal or Vegan). LG G4
            - made the first audiophile smartphone (32bit Quad-DAC). LG V10
            - invented the "notch" in a way (second display). LG V10
            - made the first multi-camera system in phone (Wide + UW + LAF). LG G5
            - made the first UltraWide camera in phone (135'). LG G5
            - made the first wide-screened smartphone (18:9). LG G6
            ....many if not all of these have become staples in modern smartphones!

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • 043
              • 11 Apr 2021

              azerty, 11 Apr 2021I’m still using my LG G6 and will keep it as long as it works.LG G6 has a great design, very clean and symmetrical

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                • Qwerty
                • wch
                • 11 Apr 2021

                Kangal, 11 Apr 2021I find it sad that GSMArena has the audacity to suddenly &q... moreVery well said and informative opinion mate, like it 👌

                  • Q
                  • Qwerty
                  • wch
                  • 11 Apr 2021

                  sq2013, 11 Apr 2021OnePlus have a tiny market share. They want to be premium b... moreCouldn’t agree more. OnePlus should’ve stick to their mantra for them to be on the game in the long haul.

                  And they should be careful of what Carl Pei and his new tech company Nothing will do in the near future.

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                    • Carol
                    • mVu
                    • 11 Apr 2021

                    Kangal, 11 Apr 2021I find it sad that GSMArena has the audacity to suddenly &q... moreI kind of relate a lot of what you say to Nokia too. But that a site like gsmarena has so much power to change the corse of a company is hard to believe. GSMarena was always a trend site. You can see that very easely when you research their past behaviour. Apple, Samsung and now chinese crappanies. People make the trand, gsmarena just follows. And of course they need to be biased on the trend. If people only rely on gsmarena to buy a new device, well, again, that's kinda their fault. Their are way more complete reviews with real usage and experience elsware. Not that gsmarena is a bad site, i like it here too as i am having a laugh while takling trolls, which mostly have no idea what internet is.

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • StU
                      • 11 Apr 2021

                      iabhi, 11 Apr 2021Very true 😔🙏 Marques Brownlee is one of them.He did a video recently asking "Why people don't buy Sony phones?"

                      His last Sony phone review? 2015.

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                        • ae86
                        • vaS
                        • 11 Apr 2021

                        Had the V10. One of the most awesome phone of all time. Small stuffs like where to focus the audio while recording video is so so fun.

                        And it's design is absolutely gorgeous chefs kiss*, LG did a great job with it,, combining elegance and ruggedness into perfection.

                          I will add to this list:
                          - LG Shine (Gorgeous design)
                          - LG Optimus 3D (A different concept)
                          - LG Flex (Curves phone)

                            • s
                            • sq2013
                            • smT
                            • 11 Apr 2021

                            Kangal, 11 Apr 2021I find it sad that GSMArena has the audacity to suddenly &q... moreOnePlus have a tiny market share. They want to be premium but they have been just as clueless as LG completely changing their brand mantra from flagship killer to premium but the same level of quality isn't there to justify their pricing strategy.

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                              • Moises
                              • 8IB
                              • 11 Apr 2021

                              G2 was the first phone with small bezels.
                              I think its design was underestimated.
                              I will also include:
                              - LG Shine (Gorgeous design)
                              - LG Optimus 3D (first phone with 2 cameras that I remember)
                              - LG Flex (Curved phone)

                                I find it sad that GSMArena has the audacity to suddenly "like" the LG brand and its devices, now that the company is shutting shop. They're hypocrites, plain and simple. As the old adage goes: "you don't know what you got, until it's gone".

                                LG's downfall is primarily their fault. They had very questionable leadership. Very little marketing. However, they have been very innovative, pioneers even. So I don't want to belittle them. But there is a lot of guilt that is rightfully attributed to GSMArena, MKBHD, etc etc for the downfall of LG. In short, they have not been fair to LG in reviews, or when suggesting alternatives.

                                Why LG really failed is in "mindshare" aka What the uninformed consumer thinks. One example is Nvidia, even when they were regularly failing in the GPU Race against AMD, Nvidia was able to keep or grow their profits and marketshare. That requires having a good reputation and lots of marketing. In this analogy, AMD is LG, and Nvidia is Samsung.

                                In case you don't know, there is a very bitter rivalry between the two. Samsung does a lot of promotions that goes to mainstream reviewers (like GSMArena) and influencers. On top of this, they spend a fortune on marketing for regular uninformed folk. They do big business to get their phones on shelves and in booths. And lastly, Samsung makes great phones. All of these make it very difficult for LG. Difficult but not impossible, have a look at OnePlus.

                                Samsung as a company HATES the competitor LG. In fact, they've had instances of Samsung shutting off supply lines to LG when it comes to flash modules. Samsung even stopped selling phones to Verizon at one point because they also sold an LG phone. If you don't know about the shady deals Samsung has in its past, and all these corruption cases happening in South Korea, well just read up about it. So the loss of LG in the market is great news to Samsung (rival) and Apple (more parts). It is 100% bad news for the readers and consumers alike. We will keep getting worse and worse phones at higher and higher prices.

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                                  • An0n
                                  • vgM
                                  • 11 Apr 2021

                                  Qwerty, 11 Apr 2021🤦 YouTubers and phone websites like these are so hypocrites... moreWhat? Do you expect they have some loyalty? Nope.

                                  LG has lost to Samsung, who from beginning position themselves as rival of iPhone. It makes Samsung quite successful, and backed by good r&d and marketing team. While other brands just scraps the rest of the battle. Even now, this year, I can bet most of Android manufacturers lost to iPhone sales. iPhone came out very early, late 2020. By that time, almost everyone that "really" need a new phone and can afford to have one, probably has bought iPhone instead waiting for another month for Android flagships to arrive.

                                    I’m still using my LG G6 and will keep it as long as it works.

                                      I wish some miracle happens and the technology team of LG start making their wonderful phones again.

                                      Their used to be a wonderful team in Nokia which used to work on Maemo OS(Later Meego) and built some wonderful phones like Nokia N900, Nokia N9.

                                      They went through the same scenario and we miss their creativity and innovation in the market.
                                      LG development team is not less than them and produced some beautiful innovations in this world.

                                      I was part of the mobile software development and understand how difficult and challenging it is to think something which is out of the box and put it on the table.

                                      My deepest respect to the LG team. 😔🙏
                                      Your creativity will be missed. And best wishes for your future endeavours.

                                        Qwerty, 11 Apr 2021🤦 YouTubers and phone websites like these are so hypocrites... moreVery true 😔🙏
                                        Marques Brownlee is one of them.