LG G8 ThinQ: Rumours | Pricing | Specs

The latest flagship phone from LG is expected to be fast and with some unique features for a premium handset in 2019.

LG has two primary "flagship" phone ranges, with the G-series phones typically appearing in the first half of the calendar year. The LG G7 ThinQ took a little longer than usual to appear in 2018, but it appears that LG is wasting little time in 2019, with the LG G8 ThinQ expected to be one of the stars of this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Design

• 6.1 inch display rumoured.
• Will it have a notch or a teardrop?
• "Sound on Display" speaker built into display.
• Fingerprint reader on the rear.

• Read more on the LG G8 ThinQ's design

  
  Image: XDA Developers
  Quite what the LG G8 ThinQ will look like seems to depend on who you ask. LG naturally isn't saying much beyond confirming a launch for a new LG device on 24 February 2019, as seen in this YouTube teaser video:

  Some early rumours suggested that LG might opt for a "teardrop" style notch for the LG G8 ThinQ. However, leaks through XDA Developers suggest that what we'll get is a phone with a traditional rectangular notch. What's notable here is that LG's head of global corporate communications specifically called out the XDA Developers report as containing "speculative rendering".

  Calm down. It's only a speculative rendering. https://t.co/zF4sCpPZbW

  — Ken Hong (@visitken) January 18, 2019

  However, later leaks pretty much agree with that early design idea.

  LG G8 ThinQ pic.twitter.com/ytPzOP3Rlo

  — Evan Blass (@evleaks) February 12, 2019

  One interesting aspect of that leak is that it suggests that LG will stick with a regular fingerprint sensor at the rear of the phone, where competitors appear to be shifting to sensors located under the front glass. Of course, if the renders are inaccurate, that could change.

  It's unusual for any corporate level feedback to come in response to any rumours or leaks, not that this confirms or denies the XDA Developer renders really. We'll find out for sure on 24 February 2019, of course.

  One rumour that LG has confirmed is that the LG G8 ThinQ will use its screen as part of the overall speaker array. LG calls this "Crystal Sound OLED", using the vibrating screen to deliver louder and clearer audio while bass tones are fed through a bottom-mounted speaker. The LG G7 ThinQ had very impressive sound output as a standalone speaker, so LG has a lot of form to live up to here.

Camera

• Dual rear cameras likely.

• Read more on the LG G8 ThinQ's camera

  There's not a whole lot of leaked detail around the LG G8 ThinQ's camera array to speak of in specification terms, but it appears, based on those XDA Developer renders, that it will feature dual rear lenses.

  It's likely, given LG's past track record, that one of those lenses will be a wide-angle lens, well suited to landscape photography. LG has stuck with wide angle secondary lenses for a few generations now, so it would be unusual for it to shift course. Given the expected ThinQ branding, we'd also expect AI optimisations for photo taking to be part of the LG G8 ThinQ's arsenal.

Performance

• Snapdragon 855 likely.
• Probably not 5G ready.

• Read more on the LG G8 ThinQ's performance

  As with the camera, there's not much known about the LG G8 ThinQ's internal specifications for sure. It's almost certain that it will run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 processor, and we'd be a little shocked if LG went down the Google Pixel route when it comes to RAM by only offering 4GB. 6GB or even 8GB seems more likely given the LG G8 ThinQ's premium positioning.

  2019 is also the year that we'll see the first 5G handsets arrive, and some are expected to peek out from under the covers at MWC 2019. The LG G9 ThinQ isn't expected to be revealed as a 5G-ready handset, with most rumours pointing to LG launching a new line for its 5G phones.

Battery

• Battery specs still TBC.
• Expect wireless charging.

• Read more on the LG G8 ThinQ's battery

  We've seen a gradual creeping up in terms of battery capacity for flagship phones in recent years, but there's no indication yet as to how large the LG G8 ThinQ's battery will be. Some sites suggest that we'll see a 4,000mAh battery pack, but this is far from confirmed. It's likely to support wireless charging via the Qi standard, simply because it's all but expected for a flagship phone now. Still, how its battery endurance will stand up very much remains to be seen.

Pricing and availability

• Pricing expected around $1,000-$1,500.
• LG doesn't tend to rush phones to the Australian market.

LG's position in the mobile market isn't one of particular strength globally, even though it's produced some fine phones in recent years. It's found itself outpaced by competitors in terms of luring consumers in, so there's no doubt it would love to have a hit on its hands with the LG G8 ThinQ.

Pricing will be a key part of that story. LG used to occupy a very solid challenger space with its G-series phones, but recent years have seen its pricing creep upwards. It's true that most premium flagships have seen price bumps in recent years, but if LG can bring the LG G8 ThinQ to market at a more challenging price, it could have a really compelling story to tell.

Based on prior history we wouldn't expect the LG G8 ThinQ to rush to the local market. LG has often waited for a while before bringing its flagship phones to Australia, and the LG G8 ThinQ may well continue that trend.

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