The launch details for the LG G8 ThinQ in South Korea have been revealed by the OEM. The device will become available for pre-order in the country later this week on March 15, and it will launch for the price of 897,600 Won ($791).
Exact launch and pricing details outside of LG’s home country have not yet been revealed, but it’s likely that the OEM’s latest flagship will release in other regions around the same date and for roughly the same price. Sometimes mobile phones in South Korea tend to be a bit more expensive than in the western hemisphere, but it remains to be seen if this will be the case with LG’s newest model.
The LG G8 ThinQ comes only in one memory configuration with 128GB of built-in storage expandable via microSD by an additional 512GB, and 6GB of RAM. There are two variants of the phone with one of the main differences being the number of SIM card slots. The device also features either two or three rear-facing cameras, depending on the market region, and in Korea, it will release with a triple sensor setup.
LG appears to have positioned the G8 ThinQ between the Samsung Galaxy S10e and Galaxy S10 in regards to pricing. The aforementioned two devices cost $749 and $899, respectively. LG’s flagship doesn’t put that much weight on the exterior design and continues to rock a fairly large rectangular display notch at the top. But there is a reason for this, namely the inclusion of a front-facing Time-of-Flight camera.
The ToF camera enables Air Motion. This is a gesture-based input method similar to Samsung’s Air View and Air Gestures which were introduced many years ago, however, LG’s Air Motion is powered by a ToF camera and in theory, at least, it should be much more accurate.
Other hardware details pertaining to the device include a 6.1-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 3,120 by 1,440, a Snapdragon 855 chipset from Qualcomm paired with an Adreno 640 graphics chip, and a 3,500mAh battery featuring 18W Quick Charge 3.0 and wireless charging capabilities.
The flagship doesn’t have an in-display fingerprint sensor and instead, it keeps the unit on the back panel. It lacks Dolby Atmos but features a standard 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, DTS:X, and a Quad DAC.
In South Korea, at least, the LG G8 ThinQ will have a pre-order period between March 15 and March 21, with official sales scheduled to start on the 22nd of the month. In addition, customers will benefit from a one-year time period in which they can get a free screen replacement. The phone will also be bundled with one protective case for free, lowering the risk of damage from drops and the need for a screen replacement.
Price-wise the LG G8 ThinQ is fairly competitive, or at least LG didn’t increase the price of its latest flagship compared to last year’s model. This makes it more affordable than the Samsung Galaxy S10 so it might enjoy some degree of success once it hits the shelves. Then again, it’s not as feature-packed either.
LG’s pre-order period was scheduled to start just days after the Galaxy S10 series launched on the market, and perhaps this is no coincidence given that Samsung’s pre-order bonuses were much more attractive and included a free pair of Galaxy Buds.