LG showcases affordable Leon and Joy at MWC 2015 (hands-on)
Joining LG's lineup of low-cost handsets, the Leon and Joy make an appearance in Barcelona.
BARCELONA -- In addition to showcasing two higher-end devices, LG presented two other mid- to entry-level handsets at MWC 2015. Known as the LG Leon and Joy, they are the latest additions to the company's L-series of affordable, low-cost phones.
Both devices will have 4G and 3G variants, with the former being denoted by a shiny, faux-metallic design on its back cover. 3G models, on the other hand, will have a simpler plastic look. The handsets will also be powered by a 1,900mAh battery.
The LG Leon sports a 4.5-inch FWVGA, 220ppi touchscreen. It runs Android 5.0 Lollipop and is equipped with 8GB of internal memory and 1GB of RAM. Depending on the market, it will be powered by either a 1.2 or 1.3GHz quad-core CPU, and will have either a 5- or 8-megapixel camera.
The LG Joy, on the other hand, is smaller, and is distinguishable by being the only new LG phone to come out of MWC with its physical control keys on its side instead of the rear. It has a 4-inch WVGA display with 233ppi and a 5-megapixel camera. Just like the Leon, LG will offer different variants of the Joy to different markets. The device will either run Android 4.4 KitKat or the newer 5.0 Lollipop, and have either a dual- or quad-core 1.2GHz processor.
During my brief time with the handsets, it was clear that the Leon and Joy were meant to be low-cost phones (especially when compared to the mid-range LG Magna and Spirit, which were also announced at MWC). The Joy's design, in particular, was thicker and heftier than the others. In addition, both of the phone's display weren't very sharp, and tasks like returning to the homescreen and launching the camera felt a bit sluggish. But given that these devices are marketed to be inexpensive and affordable, it's easy to understand that users will have to sacrifice a speedy performance to save some money.
Though LG has not announced additional information about pricing and availability, we can expect these handsets to fall in line with other F-series phones, which hit somewhere around the $99 to $199 price range (or £64-£128 and AU$127-AU$255, conversion). With carrier subsidies, those prices can drop even lower, perhaps even free with a two-year agreement.