LG struck early at MWC 2017, officially announcing its latest high-end smartphone, the LG G6. Here are all the facts you want to know, including the LG G6 UK release date, UK price, new features and specifications.
The device boasts an impressive Quad HD 5.7in display with an aspect ratio of 18:9, taller than the standard 16:9. It ditches the modular design of 2016’s G5, instead opting for a metal and glass design with non-removable battery, but keeps the excellent dual camera set up of its predecessor.
Read on for more information, or check out our extensive LG G6 review.
When is the LG G6 release date?
The G6 is already on sale in Korea and the US, but us here in Europe will have to wait a tad longer. Carphone Warehouse is allowing orders with delivery by 27 April – one day before the Galaxy S8 is set to go on sale.
Annoyingly, LG will be giving away free Google Home devices with every handset purchased before 30 April in the US. LG has confirmed that the same deal will not be available in the UK, which is disappointing given that Google Home comes out in the UK on 6 April.
How much will the LG G6 cost in the UK?
Both Carphone and MobileFun are listing the LG G6 at £649 in the UK. You can pre-order the LG G6 from MobileFun or Clove now. In the EU the handset is said to cost 749€.
According to LG, the company received 40,000 pre-orders in the first four days of the LG G6 being available to pre-order in Korea. Is that good? Yes, not bad.
What are the specifications and features?
The design of the G6 is unquestionably excellent, with a tasteful aluminium rim holding together the Gorilla Glass front and rear panels. It’s pleasingly IP68 waterproof, catching up with Samsung’s Galaxy S7 and ahead of Apple’s IP67 iPhone 7.
Black G6 on the left, Platinum on the right. Obvs.
The 5.7in display has rounded corners that follow the lines of the rounded design, and this subtle change gives the handset a near-unique feeling upon first use – something very hard to achieve these days. (Also see LG V30 vs LG G6.)
The G6 will come in three colours: Ice Platinum (a silvery blue), Astro Black and Mystic White. The black in particular is a fingerprint nightmare, but they all look premium as can be, with no camera bump on the flat rear surface. See also: LG G6 vs LG Q6 comparison.
LG has completely redesigned the software of the G6 to take advantage of the rounded and taller 18:9 (2:1) screen. Shipping with LG’s modified version of Android Nougat 7.0, apps can display information in two distinct top and bottom sections, while Android’s split-screen multitasking mode works in two perfect squares.
LG explained to us in an interview that basing the GUI (graphical user interface) around the idea of squares allowed it to present apps in clearer formats with better use of space for the user. In our extensive hands-on with the G6, we agree that the 18:9 format is a great way to keep information uncluttered.
In the UK, the handset comes with 32GB internal storage (with micro SD support up to 2TB) and 4GB RAM, USB-C connectivity and that beautiful headphone jack. The 3,300mAh battery should hopefully see you well through an intense day of use, but it’s a shame that wireless charging is only on the US model. All models will however have Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 tech for speedy cable charging – LG claims it will give a 50% charge in 32 minutes.
The headline specs for the LG G6 are:
- Android Nougat 7.0
- 7in 18:9 2880×1440 Quad HD display, 565ppi
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor
- Adreno 530 graphics
- 4GB RAM
- 32/64GB storage (region dependent)
- 13Mp dual rear cameras, Wide (F2.4, 125°) / 13MP Standard OIS 2.0 (F1.8, 71°) LED flash
- 5Mp front camera, Wide (F2.2 / 100°)
- 11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth 4.2
- 4G LTE
- Nano SIM (Dual SIM in some regions)
- GPS
- NFC
- Hi-Fi Quad DAC (Korea only)
- 3,300mAh non removable battery
- Wireless charging (US only)
- Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0
- IP68 water resistant
- 9 x 71.9 x 7.9mm
In fact, the Korean version also comes with Hi-Fi quad DAC to enable high quality audio reproduction, as well as a dual SIM slot. The European version will get neither DAC nor wireless charging, and it remains to be seen if this will positively affect price in the UK – LG is yet to release official pricing.
Perhaps the most contentious aspect of this ‘flagship’ announcement is that the G6 has Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 821 processor, and not the latest top-of-the-pile 835 that we expect to see in the Samsung Galaxy S8.
In an interview, LG told Tech Advisor that this decision was arrived at because most consumers won’t benefit from the extra power, and also because the 821 is in its third generation LG’s team were more confident of producing hardware and software that worked to an optimum level together.
Despite this, eagle eyed consumers will know that current phones such as the OnePlus 3T already have the 821 processor, and may be inclined to wait and see what Samsung’s Galaxy S8 has to offer. We hope LG’s decision is reflected positively in the pricing when compared to rivals.
Author: Henry Burrell, Phones Editor
Henry is Tech Advisor’s Phones Editor, ensuring he and the team covers and reviews every smartphone worth knowing about for readers and viewers all over the world. He spends a lot of time moving between different handsets and shouting at WhatsApp to support multiple devices at once.