A new report from South Korean media claims that LG Electronics will brand its first 5G smartphone as the LG V50 ThinQ 5G. While earlier reports noted that the South Korean tech firm will offer its upcoming 5G smartphone as part of a new handset lineup, the new article claims that LG later decided to incorporate its first 5G handset as part of the LG V device series. Aside from supplying details about the branding of LG’s first 5G smartphone, the report also claims that the company will unveil the V50 ThinQ 5G on February 24th in Barcelona, likely as a part of the Mobile World Congress event and that LG will officially release the smartphone in March.
The article also shares a few details about the specifications and software features of LG’s first 5G smartphone. According to the report, the Snapdragon 855 chipset will power the LG V50 ThinQ 5G. For the handset to connect to 5G networks, the smartphone likely includes the additional Snapdragon X50 5G modem. The report also confirms earlier leaks which state that LG’s first 5G handset will feature a vapor chamber cooling unit to help dissipate the heat produced by the device’s chipset. The V50 ThinQ 5G will sport a 6-inch display, according to recent reports, and a 4,000mAh battery will power the device. Meanwhile, the handset will likely include a new user interface that allows people to control the screen and music playback with the gestures of the left and right hand, and LG will reportedly include improvements to the video recording and Boom Box features of the device. This handset will be available in North America, Europe, and South Korea, and it will likely ship with a price tag of 1.3 million to 1.5 million Won ($1163-$1342).
Interestingly, LG will also launch the LG G8 ThinQ at the same event, and it will be available globally as an LTE-only smartphone. However, the article claims that there is a possibility that the G8 ThinQ will be the last LG G-branded device, with the LG V handset series taking over as the premium smartphone lineup of the company. In place of the LG G lineup, LG Electronics may introduce a new smartphone brand.
Background: Earlier reports already supplied details about the V50 ThinQ 5G. A recent article stated that the cooling unit included with the V50 ThinQ 5G is 2.7-times larger than the heatsink included with the LG V40 ThinQ, This vapor chamber will depend on water vapor to remove the heat from the chipset, and it will reportedly contain twice as much water compared to the heatsink of the LG V40 ThinQ.
Meanwhile, even though LG will not include the latest cellular technologies into the LG G8 ThinQ, the handset will reportedly feature a 3D camera that should improve the speed and security of the smartphone’s face unlock system. Recent reports also mention that the device will include a Sound on Display technology, which uses the handset’s screen to produce sound.
Impact: LG introduces the changes in handset branding as a part of its efforts to take advantage of the launch of 5G handsets and services to turn around the fortunes of the company’s smartphone unit, which has been losing money for several years. However, aside from changes in branding, the company aims to set its products apart from the competition through differentiated content, which likely refers to the software and services that will come with its device.