Poor G5 sales be damned: LG expects its best second quarter since 2014

Samsung is not the only South Korean phone maker in town that expects a strong second quarter, as fellow South Korean outfit LG expects a two-year high in operating profit, reports Reuters.
According to LG, through a regulatory filing, the company likely made 585 billion won, or $504 million, in operating profit from April to June. That represents the highest operating profit LG has seen since the second quarter of 2014, when the company made 610 billion won, or roughly $531 million.
Analysts believe most of the operating profit comes from LG’s appliances businesses, with unusually warm weather and major sporting events like the 2016 UEFA European Championship as influential factors. Furthermore, the lowering prices of display panels might have helped increase profit margins.

Get the Nexus 5X even cheaper (starting at $280) on eBay while you can

If you thought the newest upper mid-range “pure Google” phone was an interesting proposition at $380 and up, then a very alluring one at $330, and an outright irresistible bargain when dropped an extra 30 bucks, wait until you hear what eBay seller Buydig has to offer today.

You guessed it, we’ve just reached another Nexus 5X all-time record low price, in both 16 and 32GB configurations. The entry-level model costs a measly $280 on the auction website in your choice of carbon black or quartz white coats of paint, while the version capable of accommodating twice the data internally sets you back $330 only in the former color.

LG G5 case design supports growing body of evidence in favor of side-mounted volume buttons

Can you remember an LG G-series phone that didn’t use the company’s iconic rear-volume-button design? We have it on the G4, we had it with the G3, and we even had it with the G2, all the way back in 2013; really, if you want a G-series flagship with traditional side-edge volume buttons, you have to look back to the old Optimus G, before we had this new naming scheme at all. But now for the upcoming G5, it looks like LG is breaking from habit and going back to the old way of doing things – despite some early signs suggesting that the G5’s rear-button scheme would continue with the pattern, subsequent leaks have provided a growing body of evidence in favor of LG dropping those rear volume buttons and keeping only the single power button (now with fingerprint scanner). The latest piece of the puzzle only adds more support to this no-more-rear-volume theory, showing a G5 that matches the most recent leaks from other sources.

LG bets on two 2016 flagship phones after ‘challenging’ 2015 and 60M sales

Following a phenomenal half a decade or so for many smartphone manufacturers, market saturation caused by lack of innovation and too few upgrade incentives made it much trickier for even Apple and Samsung to turn a profit and post sales growth in 2015.

Of course, there was also your occasional overperformer based in China that knew how to cater to increasingly cash-strapped audiences, while companies like Xiaomi or LG reported bright spots and not-so-bright ones in their end-of-year financial records.

LG 65EF9500 OLED TV REVIEW

I have never wanted to own a TV so badly in my life.
When I was 10 I wanted a TV for my bedroom more than I wanted a waterbed. When I picked my family’s new TV at 16, I wanted a new Toshiba 36-inch more than a car. When I was 26, a Sony Grand Wega took priority over finding a girlfriend – I got neither, by the way. And just 8 short years ago, I lusted after a 60-inch Pioneer Elite Kuro signature series plasma almost as much as I needed the house I ultimately put a down payment on instead.

LG G4 REVIEW

“Life’s Good” is LG’s tagline, but life has been tough for the company’s mobile division. Its archrival Samsung has captured a big chunk of the phone market, and LG has spent several years chipping away at Samsung’s mighty presence.
The Nexus 5 and G3 proved that LG could play with the big boys, and the G4 expands on that notion, improving features that optimize the user experience in tangible ways. With an impressive camera and more user-friendly software, the G4 makes a strong case for being the dark horse smartphone that could make waves and surprise many in 2015.

Is LG going to make your next Nexus smartphone?

Trying to predict the company Google will partner with to make the next Nexus has become our new favourite game. A few weeks ago it looked like Huawei was the frontrunner but new rumours are pointing towards Google's old friend LG.
The fresh reports have been prompted by a visit by Google executives to LG headquarters in South Korea: it sounds like they were there to thrash out the details of the successor to the Nexus 6, but as yet we don't have confirmation either way.
We're also hearing that the upcoming handset is going to be called the Nexus 7, even though there are already a couple of tablets with that moniker. Maybe Google thinks keeping the naming sequence going is worth the confusion - or perhaps LG is working on the new Nexus 7 tablet rather than a smartphone.

DT Giveaway: Dive face-first into virtual reality with this LG G3 and VR headset

Most virtual reality headsets are super expensive, and they typically only work with one smartphone, so if you want to explore virtual worlds, you have to shell out big bucks for both the VR headset and the phone. Luckily, we’ve got an awesome giveaway for one lucky Digital Trends’ reader: a Sprint LG G3 smartphone and the VR headset for G3.
Even though LG’s G3 is a year old now, and the company has launched its successor the G4, it’s still one of the very best phones that money can buy. The G3’s Quad HD screen and powerful camera with laser autofocus put it ahead of its competitors last year, and really the only spec that’s slightly outdated is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor. Regardless, the G3 is fast and responsive, and our positive feelings for the phone still stand. We gave it our highest Editor’s Choice award when it came out, so the G3 comes highly recommended.

LG teases a look at the new LG G4 software

If you're counting down the days until the 28 April unveiling of the LG G4 flagship, then you'll be interested in a new teaser video launched by the firm. It shows the LG UX 4.0 interface you can expect to see on the version of Android Lollipop shipping with the phone.

Stay ahead of the curve with these 11 tips and tricks for LG’s G Flex 2

Like any new piece of technology, there are plenty of quirks that may not be apparent when you unbox your new LG G Flex 2. Getting the most out of your new curved phone may require some hints. Here’s our guide to the important tricks and tips to get you acquainted with your new phone.
Related: Our editor’s review LG’s G Flex2

10k a day: why are there no good running smartwatches?

The Apple Watch is looming large on the technology horizon at the moment - we're mere weeks away from its April launch.

What's been interesting, if not surprising, is the sudden outcry over what it won't do, namely monitor your stress and blood pressure (down to hairy arms, apparently).

Apparently we should all be up in arms because Apple was supposed to have made the greatest health device ever to adorn our wrists. I got the chance to check one out in Cupertino, and while it is well made, even slapping it on the wrist of a stupidly chiselled model in running gear couldn't convince me this was going to be a replacement for a standalone watch.