LG G4 live blog
LG will be officially unveiling its newest phone, the LG G4, at a press conference in New York City. CNET is covering the event live.
-
John Falcone 4/28/2015 2:46:46 PM
3rd & 7 37yd
3rd & 7 37yd
B
S
O
close
close

-





-
John Falcone 4/28/2015 2:44:15 PMHello, and welcome to CNET's live coverage of the LG G4 launch.
-
John Falcone 4/28/2015 2:44:50 PMWe'll be joined soon by Roger Cheng and Scott Stein, who are both on-site at 1 World Trade Center.
-
Scott Stein 4/28/2015 2:45:39 PMhey there! Scott Stein here.
-
John Falcone 4/28/2015 2:45:58 PMScott, how's the view up there?
-
Scott Stein 4/28/2015 2:46:02 PMWe're on the 64th floor of One World Trade Center, getting ready for the LG G4 event. This is very far up.
-
Roger Cheng 4/28/2015 2:46:10 PMHello! Roger Cheng here seated at a press event area a top One World Trade Center (also known as Freedom Tower).
-
Roger Cheng 4/28/2015 2:46:27 PMThe view here is tremendous, by the way.
-
Scott Stein 4/28/2015 2:46:42 PMThe view is beautiful. I went up to the observation deck of the twin towers as a kid...was my favorite place to go.
-
Roger Cheng 4/28/2015 2:46:45 PMWe're a little less than 15 minutes away from the G4 event, so bear with our tap-dancing for a bit.
-
Scott Stein 4/28/2015 2:47:18 PMI think I can see CNET's office from here.
-
Roger Cheng 4/28/2015 2:47:40 PMI went up to the Twin Towers as a kid, but sadly I can't really remember what it was like up there -- too young. I do remember the wait was terrible.
-
Sarah Tew 4/28/2015 2:48:02 PM
Here we are.
-
Scott Stein 4/28/2015 2:48:12 PMAs you know: LG G4. we'll find out more. The question is, what can this new phone do impress you? What do you want to see?
-
Andrew Hoyle 4/28/2015 2:48:21 PM
Andrew Hoyle here, at the G4 launch in an unusually sunny London!
-
Roger Cheng 4/28/2015 2:48:47 PMFor that CNET exclusive, I traveled to South Korea two weeks ago. I went mostly for vacation, but I was able to convince the folks at LG to open up their assembly factory for an inside look at how the G4 was made.
-
John Falcone 4/28/2015 2:48:50 PMThat's right -- this is a multi-city launch announcement.
-
Scott Stein 4/28/2015 2:48:53 PMI'll be tweeting later on after the liveblog at @jetscott for more on-site impressions.
-
Sarah Tew 4/28/2015 2:48:56 PM
Nice view up here.
-
John Falcone 4/28/2015 2:49:34 PMI think it's safe to say that 2014's LG G3 was something of a hit. The rear-button design was a risk that paid off.
-
Sarah Tew 4/28/2015 2:49:55 PM
Scott Stein, looking bright-eyed and bushy-tailed on this fine morning.
-
John Falcone 4/28/2015 2:50:04 PMGreat photo from Sarah Tew, showing the Empire State Building out the window.
-
Sarah Tew 4/28/2015 2:50:20 PM
-
Scott Stein 4/28/2015 2:50:27 PMOh god, I look awful.
-
Roger Cheng 4/28/2015 2:50:38 PMThe LG G3 was certainly a sleeper hit of 2014. The company packed a large 5.5-inch display into a relatively thin body, which phone enthusiasts loved.
-
Scott Stein 4/28/2015 2:50:45 PMNo one looks good at morning press events. But I also didn't tuck in my shirt.
-
Roger Cheng 4/28/2015 2:51:04 PMLG, of course, is still well behind the two big players in the smartphone biz, Apple and Samsung. LG ranked No. 5 in the world among smartphone players, according to Gartner.
-
Roger Cheng 4/28/2015 2:51:16 PMThat's for all of 2014.
-
John Falcone 4/28/2015 2:51:28 PMThe G4 is entering a tough market for smartphones, w/ Apple's iPhone 6 and 6 Plus still selling like hotcakes, and Samsung's new Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge getting a very enthusiastic reception.
-
Roger Cheng 4/28/2015 2:51:40 PMLG is hoping to build upon its momentum with the G4, which pushes its genuine leather backing as a key advantage.
-
Andrew Hoyle 4/28/2015 2:51:49 PM
The UK launch isn't at the top of a building, but it's pretty grand in here.
-
Roger Cheng 4/28/2015 2:52:09 PMBut is it enough? Samsung has radically redesigned the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. The use of metal and glass has been a hit.
-
Scott Stein 4/28/2015 2:52:44 PM@AndrewHoyle: we're not even at the top. This thing goes to 104.
-
Roger Cheng 4/28/2015 2:52:47 PMApple continues to be on a tear. It sold 61.2 million iPhones in the last quarter -- numbers that nearly any other company would kill for.
-
Roger Cheng 4/28/2015 3:17:22 PMThe nature of the arc means it has 20 percent more durability than a flat smartphone.
-
Roger Cheng 4/28/2015 3:17:40 PMHe says consumers would give up some slimness with a decent battery and ability to swap it out.
-
Scott Stein 4/28/2015 3:17:42 PMBlack pebbled leather G4. I like that look.
-
Sarah Tew 4/28/2015 3:17:49 PM
-
Roger Cheng 4/28/2015 3:17:52 PMLG G4 has a 3,000 mAh battery that is replaceable. It's the same size as the G3.
-
Sarah Tew 4/28/2015 3:18:03 PM
-
Roger Cheng 4/28/2015 3:18:05 PMManufacturing becomes a challenge when you leave the world of flat phones, he notes.
-
Roger Cheng 4/28/2015 3:18:25 PMThe G4's natural fit has a feeling of beautiful design. It has a sense of grace and beauty, he says. The design element is so important to us.
-
Roger Cheng 4/28/2015 3:18:43 PMAs touchscreens have dominated the front of the phone, the back is where we sought out to stand apart from the competition, Lee says.
-
Sarah Tew 4/28/2015 3:18:54 PM
-
Roger Cheng 4/28/2015 3:19:05 PMLee notes that the back of the G4 will come with high-grade, genuine leather. The company worked hard to make sure it retained its leather feel.