i android eu: Say hello to the LG Velvet (and pour one out for the G9)

Sunday 12 April 2020

Say hello to the LG Velvet (and pour one out for the G9)

LG is rebooting its smartphone strategy, and, in true LG fashion, the company is drip-feeding us details about it. Today we learned the name of the first phone in the reboot, LG Velvet, and a couple of intriguing design details.

LG said it’s “moving away from alphanumerical designations in favor of familiar and expressive names.” In other words, no more G-series phones, and presumably no V series either. That brings an end to one of the longest-running families of flagship phones in the Android space. Pour one out for the G.

This official announcement follows an unconfirmed report from last month that suggested LG would adopt unique names for its next premium phones.

Goodbye LG G9, hello LG Velvet. The new phone will feature a “symmetrical, flowing form factor” that will be “pleasing to touch,” says LG. According to the company, “lustrous smoothness” and “premium softness” will be two key characteristics of the Velvet. The Raindrop camera gets a shoutout as well.

LG’s mobile unit has been bleeding money for 20 consecutive quarters. Among other issues, the clunky branding, lackluster designs, and poor product differentiation have turned LG’s smartphones into forgettable also-rans. There’s no guarantee the new Velvet will turn things around, but what we know about it so far makes us cautiously optimistic.

First, the name itself – the company is dropping the terrible ThinQ appendix, in favor of a clean and memorable moniker. That alone should help the next LG phone stand out in a sea of alphanumerical permutations.

Second, the promised “premium softness” suggests LG is going against the shiny, glossy designs that have dominated the market in the last few years, with precious few exceptions. That’s another way the Velvet could stand out. Plus, LG desperately needs some flair, following years of stodgy designs.

The LG Velvet will be a “mass premium” device, that won’t compete with the likes of the Galaxy S20 Ultra and Huawei P40 Pro Plus. That’s good news, as long as the affordable price tag doesn’t come with a forgettable spec sheet.

Now read: Can we stop it with the comically big phones now?

What do you think about the new LG Velvet?