LG announces Android One-toting G7 variant, plus upper mid-range G7 Fit

Thanks to a lack of innovation, multiple models of seemingly the same phone, and some questionable marketing decisions, LG's Android star has lost some of its shine in the last couple of years. The G7 wasn't a bad phone, per se, but it did little to distinguish itself in a crowded notch-heavy field. LG is hoping that two new G series variants will fare better.

The first of two newly announced devices is easily the most exciting. Those who long for the Google Play Edition flagships of yesteryear will be pleased to see LG is releasing an Android One version of the G7. Its specs are almost identical, with a Snapdragon 835 chip, 6.1" QHD+ display, and 4GB of RAM (like the base model G7). The all-glass construction is also the same, as well as pretty much everything else Stephen liked about the phone in his review.

LG G7 One specs

• Chipset: Qualcomm^® Snapdragon™ 835 Mobile Platform
• Display: 6.1-inch QHD+ 19.5:9 FullVision Super Bright Display (3120 x 1440)
• Memory: 4GB LPDDR4x RAM / 32GB UFS 2.1 ROM / MicroSD (up to 2TB)
• Camera:
  – Rear: 16MP Standard Angle (F1.6 / 71°)
  – Front: 8MP Wide Angle (F1.9 / 80°)
• Battery: 3000mAh
• Operating System: Android 8.1 Oreo (Android One)
• Size: 153.2 x 71.9 x 7.9mm
• Weight: 156g
• Network: LTE / 3G / 2G
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a, b, g, n, ac / Bluetooth 5.0 BLE / NFC / USB Type-C 2.0 (3.1 compatible)
• Color: New Aurora Black / New Moroccan Blue
• Other: AI CAM^† / Bright Camera / Boombox Speaker / Google Lens / 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC / DTS: X 3D Surround Sound / IP68 Water and Dust Resistance / HDR10 / Google Assistant Key / Face Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / Qualcomm Quick Charge™ 3.0 Technology / MIL-STD 810G Compliant / FM Radio

Unlike the regular G7, this one only has a single rear camera and is limited to 32GB of storage. The other key difference is that the G7 One runs a purer form of Android 8.1 Oreo without any of LG's customizations. It'll get fast updates, consistent security patches, and also ships with Google additions such as Lens. A major gripe with the original was the high price point ($750), so this Android One model with last years components will need to be far more reasonable. We should find out more about it at IFA next week.

LG will be showing off not one but two new phones in Berlin, with the second being the G7 Fit. This device is "designed to bridge the gap between mid-range and flagship models," doing so with a similar form factor but slightly less impressive specs. It's powered by Snapdragon 821 processor and the rear camera lens isn't as premium. The same 6.1" QHD+ screen is in play, however, as is the 3,000mAh battery.

LG G7 Fit specs

• Chipset: Qualcomm^® Snapdragon™ 821 Mobile Platform
• Display: 6.1-inch QHD+ 19.5:9 FullVision Super Bright Display (3120 x 1440)
• Memory:
  – LG G7⁺ Fit: 4GB LPDDR4x RAM / 64GB UFS 2.1 ROM / MicroSD (up to 2TB)
  – LG G7 Fit: 4GB LPDDR4x RAM / 32GB UFS 2.1 ROM / MicroSD (up to 2TB)
• Camera:
  – Rear: 16MP Standard Angle (F2.2 / 76°)
  – Front: 8MP Wide Angle (F1.9 / 80°)
• Battery: 3000mAh
• Operating System: Android 8.1 Oreo
• Size: 153.2 x 71.9 x 7.9mm
• Weight: 160g
• Network: LTE / 3G / 2G
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a, b, g, n, ac / Bluetooth 4.2 BLE / NFC / USB Type-C 2.0 (3.1 compatible)
• Color: New Aurora Black / New Platinum Gray
• Other: New Second Screen / AI CAM / Boombox Speaker / Google Lens / QLens / 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC / DTS: X 3D Surround Sound / IP68 Water and Dust Resistance / HDR10 / Face Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / Qualcomm Quick Charge™ 3.0 Technology / MIL-STD 810G Compliant / FM Radio

The G7 Fit also ships with Android 8.1 Oreo but will feature LG's UI skin, as usual. LG thinks both phones will fill a gap in their lineup for those who want near-flagship level specs at a more affordable price point. How much is asked for them will ultimately decide their fate and we should find more out about that next week at IFA in Berlin, where we should get a chance to play with both models.

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