The United States gets a lot of devices, but it also misses out on more than a few here and there, too. Even from the manufacturers who seem to love to launch devices in this region. Samsung's Galaxy Round, the company's first foray into a curved display future, has yet to be revealed for a U.S. launch, for instance. And HP's got a pair of new devices that could never see the light of day here in the States, unless you want to import them.
It's nothing new that other countries see different devices. Those other countries may not see certain devices that launch here in the States, either. It's a nice back-and-forth, and it can keep you on your toes as you try to guess where which device is going, and how long it'll be available in any particular market before becoming available in another -- or getting discontinued.
However, if a particular handset gets enough attention, there's a good chance it'll see a larger rollout.
LG's first curved display effort, the G Flex, got plenty of attention when it was first unveiled late last year. Moreover, it managed to continue to garner attention from individuals with loud enough voices all over the globe, as LG's device made it into their hands. So, with that in mind, it probably shouldn't have been a surprise that the curved display would make it to the United States (and other markets), eventually.
During the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, earlier this month, LG officially announced that their G Flex would launch on three of the largest network carriers: Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T. While we're still missing information regarding T-Mobile and AT&T, Sprint's recently unveiled how much their G Flex will cost when it becomes available later this month.
But, is it too expensive?
If you missed it, the G Flex will cost you $299.99 with a new, two-year contract. Or, you could use the new Easy Pay upgrade plan from the Now Network, which will see you put a down payment of $149.99, followed by 23 monthly payments of $20.84, with a final installment of $20.68.
Pricey, indeed. However, with a price tag around $650 without a contract, it's not all that shocking, either. Honestly, it isn't too bad. Sure, that $299.99 with the lengthy contract is kind of disheartening, but at the same time, the G Flex is an impressive device with plenty of hardware specifications to warrant that price tag. Plus, it helps that the carriers that the G Flex is launching on offer some kind of monthly installment plans. That's good all around.
However, the G Flex finds itself in a tricky spot. It's the first of its kind, and it's certainly the first of its kind to lead the way towards curved displays meant for large adoption. LG, and other manufacturers who are looking at curved panels, want this technology to be adopted by large markets. One way to do that is to price it accordingly, so that more people want to buy it -- and can buy it.
We'll have to see if the G Flex gets a price drop soon after its launch. The question is, do you think it will? Or, better yet: will you buy the G Flex if its current price stays strong for the foreseeable future? Will you get it on a contract, or do a monthly installment plan? Is the G Flex on your radar at all? Let me know!