LG G7 rumored to launch in May with a hefty price bump
The LG G7 could cost more than $800, according to a report.
LG's flagship G7, which was MIA at MWC, might not launch until May, according to a report by Korea's ETNews.
That launch date would be 15 months after the company unveiled its G6 in February 2017, but would remain consistent with previous statements by the company that it wouldn't stick to a strict yearly release cycle.
LG has steadily lost ground to stalwart Android rival Samsung, as well as Huawei. It's also feeling pressure on the lower end by surging brands, such as OnePlus. The Nokia brand, which now runs Android, is also flooding the global market with phones in all price categories, putting a further squeeze on LG.
LG didn't respond to a request for comment.
A later release date might not be the only change slated for the LG G7. According to ETNews, the LG G7 could cost 100,000 won more than the LG G6 in Korea. That translates to a price bump of roughly $94, £67 or AU$120, which could push the price of the G7 to more than $800. (The LG G6 retailed between $600 and $720 in the US, depending on your carrier.)
What do you get for that extra cash? The report says the LG G7 will get premium features like:
- Dual-rear 16 megapixel cameras with AI integration
- Snapdragon 845 proccessor
- OLED display with a "notch" design like the iPhone X
- Quad-DAC audio system
- 3,000mAh battery
The premium specs and price point would put the LG G7 in direct competition with the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus. However, the G7's rumored notch design may also mean the smartphone could butt heads with the iPhone X.
We got a sneak peak of what the LG G7 could look like with a notch design thanks to earlier unofficial renders.
ETNews also reports that an LG G7 Plus may be released alongside the standard G7. Similar to the LG G6 Plus, the G7 Plus is rumored to come with more storage than the original G7, and possibly extra RAM. Both phones are said to be unveiled in late April or early May, and go on sale in May.
A later release may mean that LG's next phones, the LG G7S and LG V40, could be pushed back as well. ETNews says that we could see those two in November, two to three months later than usual.
