LG made a few waves at the end of 2013, starting with one of the most talked about devices of the year, the G2. The handset introduced LG to a whole new level of desire from consumers, thanks to the high-end handset, and set the company forward on plenty of momentum. There's a good chance that the company could continue to win consumers over in 2014.
But that's not the only device that saw plenty of attention near the end of the year. LG unveiled their first smartphone with a curved display with their G Flex, another high-end device with plenty going for it, especially one main feature right there for everyone to stare at. Thankfully for anyone who wanted to get their hands on the device here in the States, LG unveiled back at the beginning of January that the curved handset would land on local store shelves in due time.
It's here now. And while my 30-day challenge with the handset will start tomorrow, these are five things I'd like to change about the handset right now. I have a (small) hope that some of these changes make it to the second-generation G Flex.
The G Flex is like any other big phone from 2013: it has a huge display. At six inches, you can see the G Flex from a ways away, and it stands out in the crowd because of that curve. But this is one thing I want to change in any successor to the G Flex. While the industry likes to make displays bigger from one handset to the next, I want the G Flex 2 to boast a smaller display. 5.2 inches, maybe. Right now, it's just uncomfortable to use with one hand, and that's unfortunate.
Before the G Flex launched, and right around the time LG officially unveiled the G2, I wrote about how I thought it was great that LG was thinking outside the box when it came to the physical design for their phone(s). Putting the Power button, along with the volume rockers, on the back of the handset instead of the side seems like a small move, but it just gave the devices one more bullet point to stand out. I like the button placement on the G2, but for some reason it just doesn't feel comfortable at all on the G Flex. I'd like the buttons moved back to the sides.
The G Flex comes with two Themes right out of the box, and I can tell you right now that I'm just not a fan of either one of them at all. Just like any of the other points, this is a personal preference thing, but the themes are just too heavy-handed. I don't like the icons, and this is one device that I can honestly say that I'd just prefer to use stock Android. Right out of the box.
When the G Flex was being introduced, LG went on and on about the display and how great it is. There's no denying that a 720p HD display is more than good enough, because it is. And the the handset's screen is great, with a pixel per inch count around 245. But, it could be better. And if LG really wants to promote that "IMAX experience," then the next G Flex should have a 1080p HD display.
The G Flex was announced just a few days before the unveiling of Android 4.4, so I can't really fault it for not launching with the updated platform. However, that doesn't mean it shouldn't already be getting an update, especially the models that launched in the United States. Right now, the G Flex in hand is running Android 4.2, and I just want some KitKat goodness. Is that too much to ask?
As I said, my 30-day challenge for the G Flex starts tomorrow, and I'm sure my attitude towards the device will change, one way or another. Maybe I'll fall in love with the display with more time in front of it, or maybe I'll get used to the buttons. We'll find out soon enough. For now, though, at first use, those are the things I'd like to see changed.
Have you used the G Flex, or played around with one? If so, what would you change about it?
