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Could Chrome OS tablets with Android apps revive the dying tablet market?

Alexandra Arici
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A few days ago we told you that Google just confirmed all Chromebooks coming in 2017 and later will feature Android apps out of the box.

However it seems like the merger between Android and Chrome will be extended beyond laptops and onto tablets. Yes, the tablet ecosystem hasn’t seen much innovation for the past year, so is it possible a Chrome OS running slate might make consumer interested in tablets again?

Pixel_C_6In an interview with The Verge, Google’s Director of Product for Android and Chrome for Education and Enterprise, Rajen Sheth explained Google is putting an emphasis on fine-tuning Chrome OS on touchscreen displays. Which shouldn’t come as a surprise given that most of tomorrow’s Chromebooks will launch with a touchscreen display.

But what he said next might be more of interest. According to him optimizing Chrome OS’ touchscreen experience will “open up the possibility for OEMs to have an even wider variety of form factors. You may expect everything from detachable to tablets based on Chrome OS down the line.” So Google has given its blessing for Chrome OS tablets, now it remains to be seen if manufacturers get the hint. But with the Nexus tablets dead, Google could still take the lead and release a Chrome OS based Pixel C successor in 2017.

Chrome OS and AndroidAnyway, like in the case of Chromebooks, users should expect to see the upcoming Chrome OS tablets come with Android app support.

Which makes us think of Andromeda, Google’s larger initiative consisting of the merging of Chrome features into Android. In 2016  rumors that the OS might soon make it on a Pixel 3 tablet popped up, but we haven’t heard anything related to the matter in a while. It does seem right now that Andromeda and the Chrome OS tablets with Android apps referred to in the interview are two separate projects, or Sheth would have mentioned Andromeda directly.

Chrome OS Tablet Older ConceptTablets used to be a very important part of the Android ecosystem. Not anymore. Phones are getting bigger and more useful, while tablets are getting …well obsolete. And Android OEMs aren’t helping much…Samsung seems to have been given up on the idea and companies like Huawei just keep popping out the occasional tablet from time to time. Nothing mind-blowing, nothing super interesting.

So is it possible that a Chrome OS tablet with Android apps might prevent tablets from dying a slow death? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Be very careful which VPN app you choose

Alexandra Arici
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A recent report unveiled by the Commonwealth Scienific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) this week, revealed that your favorite VPN apps might be spying on you.

For this research, CSIRO investigated more than 283 different Android VPN (which stands for Virtual Private Network) apps and complied the findings in An Analysis of the Privacy and Security Risks of Android VPN Permission-enabled Apps.

The results are quite disconcerting. For starters, 18% of investigated apps were found not to be encrypting traffic after all, while 84% were showed to be leaking user traffic and revealing private information.

VPN Research FindingsMore than that, 2 out of 3 apps use third-party tracking libraries and 38% hide a malware or malvertising presence. Over 80% request access to sensitive info such as private text message conversations.

The conclusion of the research was that while most of the examined apps offer online anonymity to a degree, some apps are deliberately trying to collect personal info that can be sold to third-parties.

Interestingly enough, the investigation also found that less than 1% of VPN app users had any concerns about privacy when using these apps.

Private VPNWhat’s more, 94% of the Ipv6 and DNS leaking apps claim to provide privacy protection in their Google Play Store descriptions, but users’ shouldn’t take their world for it.

So what can you do if you are in need of a VPN app? Professor and Senior Principal Researcher in Online Privacy and Securiy, Dali Kaafar gives us a few tips on the matter.

Kaafar says users should shop around, compare functionality and read lots of app reviews before deciding which app should be installed on their phone. He also advises people to pay more attention to permission requests.

Luckily, the CSIRO notes that before publishing the findings, the Organization got in touch with developers of the targeted apps in order to alert them of vulnerabilities. Some of them actually took steps to fix the issues, while others simply removed the apps from the Play Store.

Blu Vivo XL2 review- What does $150 get you in 2017?

Matt Adams
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American phone manufacturer Blu is back with another budget friendly device to entice those customers looking for a great unlocked option. The Vivo XL2 is the successor to the popular Vivo XL, which was released one year ago in January of 2016. This year Blu has given us an improved model that builds on the strengths of the Vivo XL and takes some chances with its software that will make users either love it or hate it.

Blu Vivo XL2 home screenKey Specs:

  • 5.5″ 720×1280 display (267 PPI)
  • Gorilla Glass 3
  • Quad-core 1.4GHz MediaTek processor
  • 3150mAH battery
  • 3GB of RAM
  • 32GB of Storage
  • 13MP main camera, 8MP front-facing camera
  • Android 6.0
  • 4G LTE, (2/4/7/12/17), 4G HSPA+ (850/1700/1900/2100)

Physical design

There’s very little offensive about the Blu Vivo XL2. The front of the phone looks like pretty much every other device out there right now with small bezels and hardware keys. The hardware keys, however, are hard to pinpoint unless in optimal lighting conditions. I tend to think this is a design choice by Blu, rather than an accident. The keys blend in (silver logos on a gold body) and don’t shift the focus away from the screen. Blu went the opposite route as Samsung’s super bright and in your face hardware keys.

Blu Vivo XL2 buttonsThe bottom of the device houses a microphone and an off-center microUSB port. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen an offset USB port or a microUSB port so I was not expecting either on a phone released in 2017, but here we are. The left side of the device holds the SIM/microSD card hybrid slot. You can use either one SIM and a microSD card or two SIM cards at the same time. Very convenient for frequent travelers. The right side of the device houses the power and volume rocker, and I must say the buttons are pleasingly responsive.

Blu Vivo XL2 volumeI really wish it didn’t need to be pointed out as a feature, but yes, Blu did include a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top of the device. Apple and Motorola have changed expectations for the mobile landscape by leaving out the headphone jack in their 2016 flagships and now I think we’ll see more companies following this worrying trend. Next to the headphone jack is an infrared blaster, which was a nice surprise.

My biggest gripe in the first few days of testing it out is the back of the phone. The slippery plastic rear cover doesn’t look or feel good. It’s a slippery fingerprint magnet that reminds me of phones released in 2013 or 2014. It will hold up well against drops and falls I’m sure, but Blu could have made another choice here while still keeping costs down.

Display

The Vivo XL2 has a 5.5″ 720p display covered by Gorilla Glass 3. At a PPI (pixels-per-inch) of 267, it sits at the low end of recent smartphone releases, even budget devices like the Vivo XL2. Text can get a bit blurry if you’re zoomed in and very close to the device, but for every day viewing it’s fine. It’s by no means going against the best from Samsung or LG, but for a device being sold at a quarter of the price of those devices, you’re going to have to make some sacrifices.

I’m not overly impressed with the peak brightness. Indoors you’re probably fine, but once you step out into a sunny or even a partly sunny day, you’re going to be in trouble. In addition to the low max brightness, the display tends to shift towards a red temperature which is pretty unique, but entirely unwelcome. Whites and blues feel… off while reds, oranges, and yellows feel overexposed. Fortunately, if you care about color shifting, the display doesn’t shift too much when viewed at an angle.

Must like the rest of the device, the display isn’t offensive. It wouldn’t force me to buy another device, but it’s not stunning to look at either. The low resolution of the display will keep battery life reasonable and if you’re just looking at YouTube videos and pictures on social media, the coloring shouldn’t bother you too much.

Software

Blu has made some interesting design choices with the Vivo XL2. While most of the stock Android apps remain and are the defaults (the exception being Opera instead of Chrome), we see some heavy changes in places like the lockscreen.

There are a ton of quick toggles on the left side of the lockscreen that slide out to quickly enter you into things like clickbait articles, a search bar, top stories, a media player, RSS feed, quick settings (like WiFi, audio settings, Bluetooth, a Selfie mode, and flashlight), weather, lockscreen games, and live wallpapers. The slide to unlock button can also be slide one of four ways to open up mail, camera, favorite apps, or go directly to the home screen.

The lockscreen isn’t an unwelcome choice, but it is a far departure from what you’d normally expect from an Android device. The settings app, however, is what you’d expect to see on most devices – but with a fresh coat of paint. Your list of settings are all here and in the places you’d expect. Scrolling through the list setting up the settings on the phone was a comfortable experience.

The Vivo XL2 ships with a “Carefree” launcher that is heavily customized from stock Android. Even core features like quick toggles are different- they’re brought up from a swipe up from the bottom of the display instead of living in the notification panel. The notification panel only houses notifications with no real customization.

Blu Vivo XL2 app drawer
No app drawer leads to a mess

One major feature that is noticeably absent is the app drawer on the Carefree launcher. A quick download of Nova or a launcher of your choice quickly fixes that. I hope OEMs understand that in 2017, removing the app drawer is a really dumb idea. Please, quit it.

I can see what Blu tried to do with its software here. Customizing it to what it believes the younger crowd will want isn’t entirely silly, but I believe that a better strategy would have been to stick with Stock Android and provide a low-cost alternative to the expensive Pixel devices. Nothing Blu did in the software is too much of a selling feature and I feel like it could have put its resources in better areas.

Camera

Blu Vivo XL2 cameraThe Blu Vivo XL2 features a 13MP main camera and an 8MP front-facing camera. The rear camera features phase detection autofocus but I found that it didn’t seem to matter much.

Action shots routinely came out blurry and the action was generally missed by a slower-than-optimal shutter when using HDR mode. The HDR mode was almost a must as pictures regularly came out under exposed in low-light situations. Decently lit scenes led to shots suitable for social media uploading, but not much else.

The main camera is fine for a phone at this price point, but more expensive phones have much better cameras.

Conclusion

Blu has done a lot right here. The Vivo XL2’s solid body and small bezels will blend into the crowd of much more expensive phones. The battery cover on the back of the phone was my most disliked part of the physical design, but honestly, it’s fine. I don’t love it, but it keeps costs down enough for Blu to offer this at a pretty competitive price and it should stand up fine to falls.

We say it all the time, but cheap phones are getting better every day. The Vivo XL2 is another excellent example of that. The phone is more than the sum of its parts because it brings together some good ideas. I’m not in love with the software, but I can see how some would be. It offers some smart ideas that aren’t for me, but increase the functionality of the phone.

The launcher, in my opinion, is a big gamble. It’s the most used part of the software and Blu made some big changes from other phones it has released in recent years. I may sound a bit like a broken record, but I do believe Stock Android offers the simplicity and functionality that should be the standard on phones. Now, don’t get me wrong- I do like some launchers that ship on phones from other OEMs (OnePlus, Samsung, and Sony notably), but I just don’t know if this is the way Blu should go in the future.

The camera is good enough for your everyday Facebook and Instagram pictures, but it’s otherwise a bit of a disappointment. I thought we had come further with camera technology than to have such a disappointing experience in 2017 with a smartphone camera, but maybe Blu can fix it with an update down the road. The camera app that ships with the device is perfectly fine, it’s just the results from the processing of those pictures that leaves a little to be desired.

If you have a kid looking for their first smartphone, a parent looking to upgrade from a flip phone, or you just want a backup then I think this phone is a great choice. It won’t replace anyone’s daily driver if they’ve already had a smartphone, but it’s a great starter phone.

You can grab the Blu Vivo XL2 on Amazon for $149.99 however, when the device launches on January 25th, Blu will knock $50 off, bringing the price to just $99.99 from 11 AM until 5 PM.

Samsung Galaxy S8 cases video leak compares them to the Galaxy S7, Note7

Alexandra Arici
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Samsung’s Galaxy S8 is one of the most anticipated flagship phones expected to arrive in the first part of 2017.

As the Galaxy S8 launch is getting near, we’ve seen the lots and lots Galaxy S8-centric leaks allegedly showing us bits and parts of the upcoming phone. Well today our friends from Mobile Fun have sent us a video which show us a bunch of new cases for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus.

In the video, the folks at Mobile Fun try to fit the Galaxy S7, S7 sdge and a Galaxy Note7 dummy inside these cases, to show you how similar the upcoming phones will be

The clip reveals that in terms of ports the new cases show cuts outs for an S Pen (maybe, just maybe), microphone and speaker. It’s not the first time we’ve heard the Galaxy S8 might borrow the S Pen from the Note family, although we have to admit it would be a peculiar decision on behalf of Samsung.

Interestingly enough we can’t spot a charging port cutout at the bottom (or on top), which might indicate Samsung is pursuing its wireless charging ambitions with the Galaxy S8. There’s no trace of a headphone jack cutout either, which leads to further confusion on this matter – is Samsung dropping the 3.5mm jack or not? Hard to say at this moment.

Samsung Galaxy S8 RenderIt might be a while before we can confirm which variant is the correct one. According to the most recent rumors, Samsung should unveil the Galaxy S8 on March 29, but customers will have to wait almost a month before being able to grab it, as it now seems the S8 will go on sale around April 21. Meanwhile you can check out the video above and tell us what you think.

Huawei Watch 2 with Android Wear 2.0 and cellular connectivity incoming

Alexandra Arici
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As we previously reported Google is scheduled to officially unveil Android Wear 2.0 on February 9. We also expect LG to launch two new smartwatches, the LG Watch Sport and LG Watch Style during the same date.

Well this week Venture Beat reveals that LG won’t be the only partner sitting at the Android Wear 2.0 table next month. It appears that Huawei is also working on a sequel to its stylish yet expensive Huawei Watch.

According to a person familiar with the company’s plans, we should expect the Huawei Watch 2 to come boasting a sportier vibe compared to the original. The wearable could be 42mm in size and take advantage of a 1.4-inch display, while offering a choice between leather or stainless steel straps.

First-Gen Huawei Watch
First-Gen Huawei Watch

One last important detail we should note is that the Huawei Watch 2 will be offered with cellular connectivity onboard. That means owners will be able to use the wrist bound device as an smartphone alternative with which they can make and receive phone calls. This feature might come in handy when users go out for a run and can’t fit their smartphone into their workout attire.

We’re told the company might show off the Huawei Watch 2 at the Mobile World Congress 2017 next month, although we’ll have to wait and see whether that happens or not.

Huawei Watch Featured
Huawei Watch Featured

Hopefully the new Huawei Watch won’t be priced so high as the original, but with cellular connectivity onboard that’s probably not going to be case.

Apart from LG and Huawei, we expect Tag Heuer to launch a new Android Wear 2.0 smartwatch too – sometime in May. While notable smartwatch makers like Motorola or Samsung are probably going to skip launching any new Android Wear 2.0 this year, Google will have to find support with other device makers.

AT&T Offers “International Day Pass” to keep you connected abroad

Donovan Jeska
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Yesterday, AT&T announced that it’ll be allowing subscribers to use their plans while traveling outside the U.S. – for a nominal fee of $10 per day, per device, that is.

international_day_pass_946x432In its own words:

With AT&T International Day Pass, you can talk and text all you want, and use your data plan in over 100 countries, only paying for the days you use abroad. Instead of being charged per minute, message, or megabyte while traveling, you‘ll pay just $10 a day per device for any 24-hour period you use your device in an International Day Pass country.

If that seems like a steep price, you’re not crazy – it’s kind of ridiculous. If you spend two weeks on vacation outside the US, using your phone will run you $140 – in addition to the cost of your plan you’re already paying.

Let’s compare that to T-Mobile’s international rates real quick: Unlimited text and data in 140 countries, and 20 cents per minute talk. To put that into perspective, You’d be talking for about 50 minutes a day on T-Mobile’s plan to equal that of AT&T’s – to further put that into perspective, that’s roughly the equivalent of a 1500 minute individual plan. If you need more than that, AT&T’s option might be a good one.

That…doesn’t exactly compare favorably, AT&T. Combine that with the recent report that AT&T is hemorrhaging customers like crazy, and it really looks like ol’ Blue is falling behind – rapidly.

Good effort, AT&T. But in my opinion, you’re in trouble.

BlackBerry Mercury expected to launch at Mobile World Congress

Scott Webster
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BlackBerry is expected to bring its next smartphone, the so-called Mercury, to Mobile World Congress next month. According to a tweet from BlackBerry Mobile, the handset should make its debut on February 25. While it has not specifically said so, BlackBerry’s phone would help kick off the annual MWC trade event.

BlackBerry doesn’t manufacture its phones any longer; it has tapped Chinese company TCT to produce the products. Instead, BlackBerry remains a software company who licenses its name.

TCT, who also operates the Alcatel brand, plans to help expand the BlackBerry portfolio. Although it’s similar to what Nokia Mobile and HMD are doing, the two appear to sit on opposite ends of the spectrum. The Nokia 6, currently sold in China, is a low-cost experience whereas the Mercury (final name to be determined) is more of a high-end model.

The BlackBerry Mercury which has been teased in an official clip should arrive with a 4.5-inch touchscreen display alongside a QWERTY keyboard. The phone should take advantage of a Snapdragon 625 working in concert with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internals storage. Other specs might consist of a 3,400 mAh battery and Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box.

First samples from Ulefone Gemini’s dual camera surface

AndroidGuys
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One of the features we expect to see offered in a number of phones in 2017 is the dual-camera setup for the rear. Already some devices are on the market with the enhanced camera setup and more are on the way.

One such phone expected to pack a dual camera is the Ulefone Gemini. As previously discussed, the handset falls somewhere in the lower end of the spectrum with a quad-core 1.5GHz processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, and a 3,250mAh battery. Display size is touted to 5.5-inches with resolution at 1920 x 1080 pixels.

Ahead of the launch of the phone come some alleged samples from the phone. You can be the judge of the quality, but we do see a little of blurring and irregularity in the bokeh effect. Nevertheless, here’s what we might expect from the phone.

To achieve these sort of photos and effects, the Ulefone Gemini employs a 13-megapixel main camera with a 5-megapixel unit to support. The main camera grabs the image itself with the the secondary one achieving the depth of field.

It’s not clear exactly when the phone will go on sale but we’re guessing it’s somewhere around Mobile World Congress. The stage is as big as any and would make for the right time to introduce a new model.

If you’re interested in learning more about the phone, or want to pre-order one, there’s a mini-site on Ulefone’s website dedicated to the Gemini. Sign up and you can receive $70 coupon ($40 off, $30 gift) when it’s available for purchase.

Stereotypo – Life is all about stereotypes and associations (App Review)

AndroidGuys
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A smartphone, a set of keys, and a wallet. What do all these things have in common? They are all the things I take with me when I leave the house. If you could figure that out then Stereotypo, a picture/word puzzle game from imbaLab, would be right up your alley. In the sea of puzzle games that are available on the mobile marketplace, what really makes this one stand out?

Pictures, associations, coins, and cats.
Check. Let’s take a look.

Developer: imbaLab
Price: Free/IAP
Download: Google Play/iOS

All the images are beautifully illustrated as you contemplate the relation between the clue the pictures you can choose from.
Which of these things belong in a park? Well, a lion would certainly make any trip unforgettable.

Graphics & Sounds

The entire game is beautifully illustrated. There are hundreds and hundreds of illustrations all throughout the game that all have a similar, minimalist design. There hasn’t been a time when I was looking at the board of pictures and was left wondering what something was. The whole game has a crisp and clean look to it.

The music throughout the game is fun and groovy. Yes, groovy. The bass line is steady and with each different page you go to, different instruments and sounds are added. There are great sound effects that pop-up every once in a while, from crowds cheering when you solve a puzzle, to the little cats that pop-up when you need a hint. Everything sounds clear and isn’t over-the-top.

Gameplay

The game is broken up into broad categories and in each category are around 20 puzzles to solve. The puzzles start off easy, with only 3 or 4 pictures to choose from. All you need to do is tap the pictures to highlight them. Once everything is highlighted that fits the category, tap the button at the bottom to check your work. If everything is good, you get rewarded with a cool picture based on the puzzle and move on to the next puzzle. The puzzles get harder quick, having well over 20 pictures to choose from for just one puzzle.

If you get stuck there are a bunch of different hints to choose from, such as removing a wrong picture, showing a right picture, or additional text clues. You have to buy these with the coins that you earn from solving puzzles or watching ads. You also have the typical system of buying coins using real money.

Ah, it's great to be rewarded.
Ah, it’s great to be rewarded.

Longevity

At the time of this writing, there are 10 categories available, each with at least 20 puzzles to solve. You can blow through the first category pretty quick, but the ones after that will leave you scratching your head, analyzing and overanalyzing every picture, and asking your friends what you could possibly be missing. When you finally figure out that one puzzle that’s been holding you back, it’s a very satisfying feeling. When you do get stuck, you have a great number of hint options to get you through. You don’t earn coins all that fast, however, so if you really get stuck and aren’t able to figure out a puzzle or two, you might find yourself stuck coinless and looking to in-app purchases to solve your problems.

Conclusion

Stereotypo is a really fun game loaded with great graphics, easy gameplay, and lots of challenging puzzles. If you are good at figuring out what images all fall under certain categories, then you’ll be great at this game. The only downside is how slowly you earn coins and how pricey the hints are if you do get stuck, but apart from that, this game will keep you playing for a long, long time.

What we know so far: LG G6 edition

Alexandra Arici
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LG will soon unveil it’s next-gen top of a line device, the LG G6. According to recent information the Samsung Galaxy S8 won’t be unveiled at MWC 2017, thus leaving the coast clear for LG to draw all the attention upon itself during the event.

Knowing that scheduling its flagship launch on the same day as Samsung, meant risking the G6 would get overshadowed, LG came up with an alternative plan. Recent rumors indicate the Korean company plans to have the LG G6 on retail shelves starting March 10, way before the Galaxy S8 becomes available for purchase.

Well now it seems LG will only have to worry about Nokia and its comeback flagship which is also expected to make an appearance at MWC 2017. Since the event is only one month away, we thought it would be a good idea to make a roundup of all information related to LG’s upcoming G6 flagship, that’s currently available. You can also read our Samsung Galaxy S8 roundup while you’re at it.

Update 02/07/2016: The invite for LG’s MWC event was posed by the company:

Design

  • no modular body
  • no modular add-ons

lg-g6-shiny-backThe LG G5 has seen a lukewarm reception among fans of Android, so this year the company is said to renounce the modular design language and return to the standard one. As seen in recent CAD renders, the LG G6 should come boasting the usual candybar design characteristic of today’s smartphones.

lg-g6-frontWhile the LG G5 featured a unibody aluminum body which didn’t really wow users, the LG G6 might come rocking a high-gloss back which could be made of glass or employ a metal polishing technique. The end result might look very much like the HTC U Ultra’s super shiny rear.LG G6 Prototype

LG G6 Prototype BackUpdate 02/01/2016: Images of a real life prototype have surfaced which confirm presence of USB Type-C port, 3.5mm headphone jack, bezeless display and metal body (see above and below).

LG G6 Prototype Lower View

Update 02/06/2017: New leak showcases the LG G6 with gorgeous brushed aluminum back.

Update 02/20/2017: Two live images of the LG G6 have appeared online revealing a glossy back and the Always-On display.

Display

  • 5.7-inch display with QHD+ resolution 2:1 Univisium aspect ratio
  • 564ppi
  • shrunken bezels

In the display department, LG wants to do things a little bit different, so it won’t offer the flagship with the standard 1440 x 2560 resolution. Instead the company will be using a 5.7-inch panel with 1440 x 2880 resolution or QHD+ and a wide aspect ratio of 18:9.

LG says the new display allows them to make a phone that takes advantage of extra screen estate. Thus users will be able to multi-task on Android by running two or more apps side-by-side on their handset.

Most Recent LG G6 LeakThe new screen tech also allows the company to shrink the bezels (20% on top and 10% on the left and right sides) and reduce overall thickness of the phone. Outdoor visibility is also said to get a 10% bump, while power requirements decrease with up to 30%.

The LG V20 also features a 5.7-inch display, but compared to it the G6 should be a bit taller and feature a smaller width.

Also since VR is quite big right now, we expect the LG G6 to be launched as a Daydream-ready device.

Update 01/27/2017: Want to take another look at the LG G6 and its bezel-less display? Check below:

Update 02/13/2017: What appears to be a real life photo of LG G6’s front has leaked online thanks to the ITHome publication.

Update 02/22/2017: It appears the LG G6 will be actually the same size as the LG G5. Here’s the two of them next to one another.

Internals

  • Snapdragon 821
  • 6GB or 8GB of RAM
  • at least 32GB of internal storage
  • microSD card slot

G6 RendersAccording to a very recent Forbes report, the LG G6 won’t be powered by the new Snapdragon 835 like earlier reports anticipated. Instead, an industry insider “confirmed” the phone will be based on last year’s Snapdragon 821 just like the recently announced HTC U Ultra.

As we know the Snapdragon 835 is developed by Qualcomm in collaboration with Samsung and the Korean tech giant is said to be in need of large quantities of the chip for its Galaxy S8 flagships.

So the Snapdragon 835 won’t be available en-mass until late April. Since we told you LG is counting to have the phone out and about by March 10, it makes sense to assume LG had to opt for an alternative. While the Snapdragon 821 is a capable chip, the new Snapdragon 835 does come with a set of improvements that can’t be ignored including being 35% smaller in size and 25% less power hungry.

Snapdragon 821It comes bundled with Quick Charge 4.0 and Bluetooth 5.0 support, among other things. You can read all about it in our in-depth article.

As for the rest of specification, it’s quite unclear what the LG G6 will bring about. We can speculate LG will want to be in league with smartphone makers launching 8GB of RAM phones this year, but we don’t have any confirmation on the topic.

As for internal storage, we believe the base version will come bundled with at least 32GB of internal storage. Like in the case of the LG G5, we expect LG to keep the microSD card on the G6 as well, although some reports seem to deny this.

Cameras

  • main dual camera

In a recent video teasing “the ideal smartphone”, LG hinted that the G6 might feature a big screen somehow tucked into a smaller body and a camera capable to “capture it all at once”.

Like the G5 and V20 before it, the LG G6 is expected to feature a main dual camera setup. It’s probably going to be an upgrade from the current 16MP/8MP (wide angle lens) setup.

As for the selfie shooter, it might double as an iris scanner thanks to an IR light filter, according to some rumors. Although a recent render revealed the LG G6 might have a fingerprint scanner located on the back, as most smartphones do. A dual LED flash was also visible in the image.

Update 02/22/2017: A new official teaser reveals the LG G6’s camera specs. The flagship will feature a dual camera setup featuring two 13MP sensors. One of them will have 125-degree wide angle lens and they will work in concert to deliver the best possible images.

The LG G6 will have multipe shooting modes, including 18:9 (thanks to the fll width of the screen), 1:1 (square), panorama, food mode and others.

As for the selfie snaper, it will hae 100-degree field of view – although resolution hasn’t been disclosed yet.

Other features

  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • Google Assistant
  • waterproof
  • LG Pay
  • advanced audio feature
  • upgraded quad-DAC audio solution

LG G6 CaseMost smartphones coming today do away with the 3.5mm headphone jack. Just look at the recently launched HTC U Ultra. However, the LG G6 won’t be part of this trend, so customers will be able to use their older headphones with the device.

LG’s recent video teaser also revealed the phone will be waterproof. But the most interesting part come now. It appears the G6 will be the first non-Pixel smartphone to come with the Google Assistant onboard. It makes sense, since most high-end handsets these days have an AI driven companion. Samsung is going to put Bixby onboard the Galaxy S8, while Nokia’s Viki will probably make an appearance on its upcoming flagship(s).

Another report claims the LG G6 might come bundling a service akin to Samsung Pay, which got dubbed LG Pay. So owners of LG’s upcoming premium handset might be able to make payments using the device.

Will LG continue to bestow unique audio capabilities on its flagship via the B&O partnership? For example, the V20 shipped out with a 32-bit “quad” DAC and B&O in-ear headphones, so it makes sense to assume the LG G6 could come packing with serious audio features.

Update 02/13/2017: A new announcement by LG, reveals information about the G6’s audio capabilities. As it turns out, the new flagship will even surpass the V20’s audio solution.

The company said an upgraded version of the latter will be available with the LG G6. The quad DAC setup features four DACs on a single chip which should bring static noise down by 50%, The audio system will also be able to control left and right channels separately thus being able to deliver an improved audio solution. Last but not least, increased circuit integration was used to bring down loss of information and overall distortion to merely 0.0002%.

Update 02/22/2017: LG teases the LG G6’s dust and waterproof body in a series of videos:

OS and UX

  • Android 7.1.1 Nougat

LG V20 SoftwareSince the V20 was the first phone to launch with Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box, it makes total sense to assume the LG G6 will make it out into the wild with the latest Nougat version, Android 7.1.1

The company is probably going to bake some new tricks of its own like allowing users to customize their virtual navigation buttons and lots more.

Update 02/16/2017: Take a look at this video teasing the LG G6’s UX which the company just posted.

Battery

LG G5 Removable BatterySome reports claim the LG G6 will do away with the user-replaceable battery, while others claim that due to fire hazard concerns LG is going to opt for a replaceable battery after all.

LG has already announced its strategy to prevent the G6 from overheating. The company says it employ a copper heat pipe cooling system that will dispel heat from the battery. LG also claims it’s testing the battery of the new flagship at temperatures 15% higher than US and EU standards in order to make absolutely sure the phone won’t overheat.

Update 01/27/2017: A new report coming out of CNET seemingly confirms the LG G6 will be ditching the removable battery in favor of a waterproof body.

Update 02/15/2017: The LG G6 will feature a non-removable 3,200 mAh battery.

When will I be able to get it and for how much?

As we already told you, LG is expected to make the G6 official on February 26, a day prior to MWC 2017. Then the phone should become available for purchase on March 10. The price is currently unknown, but you should expect to pay a pretty hefty sum.

02/02/2017 Update: A new report indicates the LG G6 price will start at $770 in South Korea

02/07/2017 Update: According to “planning material” obtained by Venture Beat, the LG G6 will become available April 6 in the US.

02/23/2017 Update: The latest information indicates the LG G6 will become available on March 10.

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