LG G8 release date rumours: Will LG’s next flagship have 5G and the Snapdragon 855 inside?

The LG G8 is one of the phones we hope will employ the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset when the handset is launched in 2019. And with Qualcomm announcing that the new processor will be among the first to support 5G, the LG G8 could well be among the first smartphones to support the new cellular technology as well.

Well, that’s what we hope. It’s perfectly possible that LG will decide to stick with the Snapdragon 845. After all, that’s what it did with the LG G6 back in 2016, sticking with the Snapdragon 821 instead of progressing to the latest Snapdragon 835. Let’s hope not, because that would be a serious disappointment, especially as the Snapdragon 855 is set to arrive with improved performance, some interesting AI-driven camera features and a renewed focus on mobile gaming.

Below, we’ve rounded up everything else you need to know about the LG G8 and will be updating as soon as more news drops, so be sure to check back in.

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LG G8: Everything we know so far

LG G8 release date: When will it launch?

We don’t expect the LG G8 to be out until mid-2019, alas, so if you were hoping to get your hands on it this year, don’t hold your breath.

We’re basing this on precedent: the LG G7 ThinQ was announced only last month – in May 2018 – so we’re predicting a similar schedule for the LG G8 next year.

This isn’t to say the schedule is definite. Indeed, the LG G6 was announced in February 2016 during Barcelona’s annual Mobile World Congress (MWC), so we could see an appearance at MWC 2019 (25-28 February).

LG G8 price: How much will it cost?

Given that the launch date is so far off, there aren’t many concrete facts regarding price, but if the LG G8’s predecessors are anything to judge by, it’s not going to be cheap.

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The LG G7 ThinQ initially retailed at £619 ($749), so we’re predicting a slight price hike from here. While this price tag doesn’t exactly put the LG G8 up there in the mind-bogglingly expensive leagues of, say, the iPhone X (a mere £1 from being in the quadruple figures).

LG G8 design, features and specs: What will it introduce?

As you may have guessed, its release date being nearly a year away, there isn’t much information available regarding specifics of the LG G8 so far.

One source, however, claims that the LG G8 will debut a “sound-emitting display”; ET News reported that LG smartphones would support the feature from early 2019 onwards. In practice, this means the earpiece will essentially be built into the phones’ screens.

Another rumour is that the LG G8 will have a 4K LCD screen – a significant upgrade from the LG G7’s 1,140 x 3,120 LCD screen. The report comes from respected leaker Ice universe:

If true, we’re a tad dismayed to hear it, particularly given the drive towards OLED displays in high-end smartphones.

As we say, it’s early days yet. And as there’s a dearth of actual information floating around the internet, we thought we’d offer our thoughts on which features we’d expect to see arrive with the LG G8.

LG G8 features: Things we’d like to see

1. Snapdragon 855

First up is our most obvious choice – the new Qualcomm chipset. If LG really wants to compete in the current smartphone market, it will be considering making the (admittedly pricey) leap to the Snapdragon 855. This will in turn open the door to all sorts of lovely features, including support for 5G, AI-driven camera settings, and gaming-orientated performance boosts.

2. An OLED display

Another blindingly obvious choice, but the rumours mentioned above report a 4K LCD screen and that clearly upsets us. OLED screens are brighter, lighter, and less power-hungry than either LED or LCD screens, and is becoming the norm for the modern smartphone.

3. A solution for the notch

Smartphone manufacturers are beginning to find ways around the controversial notch. Last year, Samsung revealed three distinct notch replacements; the Samsung Galaxy A8s features the Infinity-O ‘hole punch,’ and the upcoming Galaxy M series will sport the water-drop-shaped Infinity-V notch.

The LG G7 itself didn’t shy away from a sizeable notch, but it would be impressive to see more of that 4K LCD screen (or OLED, if you’re listening LG) with less of an obvious intrusion from cameras or speakers. With the rumoured “sound-emitting display” in the works, LG may at least have a neat way of circumventing the pesky front speaker.