The LG G4 smartphone debuted with a f1.8 lens

LG Electronics also introduced its long-awaited and highly acclaimed G4 smartphone in Hungary. The new flagship brought a range of innovations in both technology and design.

The elegance of a genuine leather back cover, a human-centered user experience, and technological solutions previously unseen in smartphones were among the key principles behind the design of LG’s new flagship, the G4. The smartphone was officially unveiled in Hungary at an event held by the company in Budapest.

“Our new flagship, the LG G4, is a perfect example of what we represent with our ‘Innovation for a Better Life’ slogan. This stylish, premium device not only provides a balanced and personalized user experience, but also follows its own path in the high-end segment with its technological and design innovations.”
— Youngnam Roh, Regional Managing Director, LG Electronics Magyar Kft.

Comfortable Use, Elegant Design

When creating the new smartphone, LG paid particular attention to the choice of materials in order to offer a truly distinctive device. The LG G4 was also available with a handcrafted genuine leather back cover, offered in Hungary in two colors: black and brown. The leather was produced using a traditional vegetable tanning process, with both tanning and coloring carried out by experienced craftsmen.

The rich colors and warm tones of the leather created a natural appearance, while the material was expected to change gradually over time in accordance with the characteristics of genuine leather. The vegetable tanning process also made the leather more environmentally friendly and easier to recycle, as it did not require the use of harsh chemicals.

“Leather is a beautiful and versatile natural material that has been part of human material culture in many areas since ancient times. Although many artificially produced materials took over its role in numerous fields during the 20th century, an object made from genuine leather still represents quality and durability today. Students specializing in clothing accessories at the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design are experimenting with ways of adapting this ancient and noble material to the material culture of the 21st century.”
— Judit Bráda, university associate professor, who demonstrated the unique use of leather at the Budapest launch of the device with the examination project of her student, Piroska Gyetvai.

The flagship was also available with additional back-cover options, including the clean 3D-patterned Ceramic White, the handcrafted-style Metallic Gray, and the bright Shiny Gold versions. Customers purchasing the G4 with a leather back cover also received the Shiny Gold back cover, allowing them to choose the finish most appropriate for the occasion.

With its premium back-cover options and subtly curved design, the LG G4 offered a refreshing alternative to the flat, metallic designs that had become common across the smartphone industry.

A New Dimension in Mobile Photography

Thanks to its wide-aperture f/1.8 lens, used in a smartphone for the first time, the LG G4 was designed to capture beautiful images even in less-than-ideal lighting conditions.

Another major innovation was the camera’s manual mode. Photographers could override the automatic settings and save their images not only as JPEG files but also in RAW format. At the Budapest launch event, four-time press photography award winner Zsófia Pályi demonstrated the capabilities of the device’s rear camera, which featured a 16-megapixel sensor.

“The camera of the new LG G4 smartphone brings amateur photographers closer to professional photography. Manual mode allows users to override the camera’s automatic settings and realize their ideas with greater freedom. At the same time, the camera can even become a conversational partner, as it can take a picture in response to a spoken command. The 8-megapixel front-facing camera and Gesture Interval Shot also help users create perfect selfies.”
— Zsófia Pályi

Photos taken by four-time photography award winner Zsófia Pályi with the LG G4

Brilliant Colors

LG also made a significant leap in display technology with the G4. The smartphone was the first to use LG Display’s 5.5-inch IPS Quantum Display. Compared with conventional displays, the screen offered 20 percent improved color accuracy, 25 percent greater brightness, and 50 percent improved contrast.

It was also the first Quad HD display to incorporate Advanced In-Cell Touch (AIT) technology, integrating the LCD and touch sensor into a single layer. This was designed to provide improved color reproduction and touch sensitivity.

The new display was developed according to the DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives) color standards, bringing its color reproduction closer to the technologies used by leading Hollywood studios.

The improved display did not come at the expense of battery life. The LG G4 featured a high-capacity, removable 3,000 mAh battery, a specification that was relatively unusual even among the leading smartphones of the time.

Combined with the fast yet energy-efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor featuring X10 LTE, the LG G4 was designed to last through a full day of normal use. According to LG, the G4 could deliver up to 20 percent longer battery life than the G3 under comparable conditions.

In Hungary, the LG G4 became available from the end of May through the three major mobile operators and retailers offering SIM-free devices. The standard versions were offered in Metallic Gray, Ceramic White and Shiny Gold, while the genuine leather versions were available in black, brown and burgundy.

LG G4 Key Specifications

Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 808 processor with X10 LTE
Display: 5.5-inch Quad HD IPS Quantum Display, 2560 × 1440, 538 ppi
Memory: 32 GB eMMC ROM, 3 GB LPDDR3 RAM, microSD slot
Camera: 16-megapixel rear camera, f/1.8 aperture, OIS 2.0; 8-megapixel front-facing camera, f/2.0 aperture
Battery: 3,000 mAh, removable
Operating system: Android 5.1 Lollipop
Dimensions: 148.9 × 76.1 × 6.3–9.8 mm
Weight: 155 g
Network: 4G / LTE / HSPA+ 21 Mbps (3G)
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.1 LE, NFC, USB 2.0
Colors: Metallic Gray / Ceramic White / Shiny Gold / genuine leather: Black / Brown
Other features: Manual Mode / Gesture Interval Shot / Quick Shot