The flagship phones LG Wing and LG Velvet from 2020 may not have been groundbreaking successes, but they marked a new innovative approach from the old manufacturer to smartphone design - one where style and form factor take precedence, but so does spec are pretty good.
With the G-Series fighting for success, a change of direction was inevitable. The Velvet was a solid, renegade handset, though it may not quite satisfy G-Series fans' appetites for cutting edge hardware. That market is now fully served by the V series, the newest of which is the LG V60. Meanwhile, the LG Wing is a new point of sale for the company's more experimental street.
LG's first stylish successor to the G series piqued our interest and we have some wishes for the LG Velvet 2 on our list.
Another unique take on the smartphone style
The LG Velvet is a great looking smartphone. There is no doubt about that. It's super thin at just 7.9mm deep and still manages to pack a large battery. It also has a headphone jack and a dedicated Google Assistant key. This mix of core specifications and a fashionable approach is the unique selling point of Velvet. We definitely want this to be the focus of the Velvet 2.
Of course, styles change over time and we certainly wouldn't turn down a few changes to keep the phone looking fresh. For example, the notched front camera housings are a little dated in 2021. We also liked the wide range of color options that the original velvet provided. A few additional colorways and / or a new option or two for the back finish would continue to play up the strength of the velvet choice.
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An updated phone that continues to offer LG's solid combination of style and hardware could be a real winner. LG knows how to build flashy smartphones, and we definitely want the Velvet 2 to continue to stand out from the crowd.
Please charge faster
Our LG Velvet review unit took two full hours to charge. This is painfully slow by modern standards, even for a cheaper handset. It was one of our biggest problems with the phone.
The included 18W charger is disappointingly slow. Ideally, we would like it to charge 30W to 40W by default. This should charge the phone in about an hour, not two hours. This speed is perfectly achievable with the latest Qualcomm Quick Charge and USB Power Delivery protocols.
While we're at it, we'd like the LG Velvet 2 to charge wirelessly faster, too. The LG V60 showed off the company's 25W wireless charging efforts and was therefore pretty quick to charge from the dock. If cost allows, this would be a great addition to the Velvet 2's charging capabilities. Otherwise, the 12W option in the LG Wing should be the next-gen base speed.
Improved performance or clearing the dual screen
2020 proved that you don't have to offer cutting-edge performance to build a great smartphone. Look at the Google Pixel 5 or OnePlus Nord as just two examples. However, the performance of the LG Velvet and its Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor didn't quite convince us.
The phone just didn't feel as snappy as other flagship phones, and we noticed the odd lag and stutter. Not enough to be a deal breaker, but we'd like to see LG's address. It can be as simple as tweaking the operating system and its additional software features. As we've seen, other 765G smartphones run pretty well.
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Otherwise, an updated processor may be the solution required. Still, Qualcomm has yet to announce a successor to its super-mid-tier 765G processor. We'd rather the LG Velvet 2 stay at a competitive price. A last-gen flagship processor in place of the state-of-the-art Snapdragon 888 might strike the right balance. But these are hard to come by and not your best bet if you want long-term Android updates.
Performance is possibly the toughest point for the Velvet 2. If the company sticks to another midrange processor, LG shouldn't be overly ambitious with the phone's capabilities. Ideas like the company's dual-screen case are fine on paper, but mid-range chipsets struggle to power multiple displays with the performance consumers have come to expect. Drop the idea off the Velvet 2 and focus on creating a flawless single image experience first.
More competitive cameras
If we round off our grips with the latest LG smartphones, we're left with the camera. The company's phones have lagged a little behind the photo curve for a few years now, and it's time the manufacturer caught up.
The combination of main, depth, telephoto and wide-angle sensors from LG is industry standard in terms of flexibility. However, our experience shows that LG's choice of small image sensors affects light pickup and image quality, especially in low light conditions. Newer, larger sensors would certainly help compete with some of the most famous cell phones on the market. However, larger sensors and larger lens openings have an impact on the design of LG's camera body.
Did you know: The LG V40 ushered in the era of modern triple camera phones
Therefore, we don't expect LG to move straight to the top of camera hardware. Especially considering the cheaper price approach of the Velvet. However, photography is hugely important to most consumers and is a surefire way to gain praise from industry experts. If you are to be considered a rival to Apple and Samsung, you need to get photos that look just as good.
A high refresh rate display
This is a super simple request - - A next-generation 90 Hz display, please.
90 Hz and 120 Hz displays will be standard in the smartphone industry by 2021. Even cheaper models from 2020 have 90 Hz displays, which allow smoother scrolling through apps and higher frame rates when gaming. Even if that compromises compatibility with LG's existing dual-screen accessories, we would consider it a worthwhile compromise.
We can't imagine the LG Velvet 2 missing out on a high refresh rate display this time around. But it's on our list, just in case.
The prices for LG Velvet 2 remain the same
At launch, the $ 599 price for the LG Velvet was a controversial issue. Many felt the phone wasn't the best value for money on the market, especially those focused on specs. The price of the phone has landed it in an odd spot. It wasn't quite as cheap as the OnePlus Nord or Google Pixel 4a, and not much cheaper than phones like the OnePlus 8 or the standard Galaxy S20.
The price of the Velvet actually turned out to be close to a sweet spot later in the year, which opened with the arrival of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE for $ 700. Samsung's late entry has shaken what is considered the bargain flagship. It has helped rejuvenate the market segment, which is just below the usual flagship price points.
It seems that this was where the LG Velvet was after all, but the phone didn't hit the value proposition as well as the Galaxy S20 FE. With that in mind, we'd like the Velvet 2 to focus on driving hardware improvements while maintaining the $ 600 price tag. LG stands little chance of competing against affordable phones in the sub-$ 500 market or winning the battle of the $ 1,000 super brands. But as the Galaxy S20 FE showed, a bargain done right can turn out to be one of the best smartphones of the year.
What would you like to see from LG's next sleek smartphone? Select an option from the survey below. Or if there is anything else you'd like to see from the LG Velvet 2, turn it off in the comments below.
