Samsung and LG are two tech giants from South Korea which have a wholesome rivalry in so many markets – this used to incorporate telephones, till LG pulled the plug in 2021. Immediately we wish to rewind to a few years earlier than that for the story of the final of the G-series.
The LG G8 ThinQ marked an finish of an influential and pretty widespread sequence of smartphones that started in 2012 with the Optimus G. The G-family additionally included modern telephones just like the LG G3 and the LG G5. However issues had been already falling aside by the point that the G8 got here round.
The LG G8 ThinQ
First, you could have observed the change in naming. The “Optimus” model by no means fairly gained the popularity of Samsung’s “Galaxy”, so the telephones rapidly switched to the brief and candy “LG G” naming scheme.
This lasted till early 2018 when “ThinQ” was added with the LG V30S ThinQ, a refresh of the prevailing LG V30. ThinQ (pronounced “think-cue”) is LG’s branding for its premium traces of TV and residential home equipment.
It was first launched on a wise fridge of all issues, a fridge that had an LCD to assist with meals administration – it stored observe of what’s within the fridge, when it expires and so forth, which you possibly can view in your smartphone whereas procuring on the grocery retailer. Folks might have hated Bixbi, however not less than they talked about it. The response to ThinQ on cell was indifference.
Anybody bear in mind ThinQ?
Branding apart, LG was additionally falling behind the competitors by way of design too. Simply try the dimensions of that notch – that was out of trend nicely earlier than 2019. Evaluate the G8 to the Galaxy S10, which launched on the identical time.
The S10 used a punch gap as an alternative of a notch, it had an beneath show fingerprint reader and there was a telephoto digital camera on its again. These had been (and nonetheless are) the widespread traits of an Android flagship.
LG G8 ThinQ • LG G8 ThinQ • Galaxy S10
Right here the story will get a little bit complicated. The LG G8 did have a telephoto digital camera… in some locations. The mannequin for South Korea featured a 12MP module with a 52mm lens (2x zoom) and OIS. Nonetheless, we by no means bought to check that as we solely bought the worldwide unit for evaluate. That one had solely two cameras – 12MP large and 16MP ultrawide.
The LG G8 ThinQ launched within the US at $820, although there was a $150 early fowl low cost. The Korean mannequin was KRW 897,600. The Galaxy S10 was $900 as an alternative, so it was pricier, nevertheless it seemed prefer it too. And costs equalized fairly rapidly anyway.
There was a extra reasonably priced model of the G8 too, the LG G8S ThinQ. It had a 6.21” FHD+ OLED show, decrease decision than the 6.1” QHD+ panel on the G8. Nonetheless, it used the identical Snapdragon 855 chipset because the G8 (and a few S10 models) and it did have a tele digital camera, a 12MP 49mm unit. What was the purpose of launching a really related telephone? LG ought to have simply put these tele cameras on the worldwide mannequin and be carried out with it.
LG G8S ThinQ
There was one more mannequin, the LG G8X ThinQ. This one got here with a meaningfully bigger show, a 6.4” OLED panel with FHD+ decision once more. And it used the Snapdragon 855, although this one skipped the tele digital camera. The battery capability went as much as 4,000mAh (from 3,500mAh on the common G8), which gave it a lot better endurance. Nonetheless, this was neither an LG G8+ nor an LG G8 Lite.
LG G8X ThinQ
Samsung, in the meantime, had a well-structured lineup. It launched the Galaxy S10 and S10+, anticipating them to be the best-sellers of the yr (they usually eclipsed the S9 sequence). It tried one thing completely different too with the small Galaxy S10e. Then it launched the first-ever 5G telephone, the Galaxy S10 5G. Samsung’s first foldable, the unique Galaxy Fold, got here in early 2019 too.
Galaxy S10, S10+, S10e and S10 5G
Samsung had the spine of a vanilla and plus fashions to hold the yr whereas making tentative first steps in the direction of the way forward for 5G and foldable units. In the meantime, LG left us scratching our heads with the G8, G8S and G8X. They had been related sufficient to confuse folks about which one they need to get. And regardless of having three fashions, the sequence felt prefer it lacked a telephone for individuals who knew they wished one thing completely different.
When all of the mud had settled, we felt that the LG G-series had misplaced its shine. The V-series nonetheless held numerous promise, nevertheless it seemed like LG didn’t know which course to go. This was evident with telephones just like the LG Wing, which was loopy cool (or perhaps simply loopy), nevertheless it’s only a footnote in cell historical past. In the meantime, today each model is speeding to launch its personal foldable telephone.
