This week has been a tumultuous one for the tech industry. The data of over half a billion Facebook – and LinkedIn – users got leaked. Nokia launched not one, but six budget phones in one go. The global semiconductor shortage tightened its grip around giants such as Google and Apple. But the biggest news was about LG, and the brand’s exit from the smartphone market. Lack of innovation, poor software update cycle, and inability to keep up with the competition are being cited as the key reasons behind LG calling it quits.
While the news led to an outpouring of emotions and countless expert takes on social media, there is some silver lining too. LG’s existing portfolio of phones – especially the premium devices – just got a lot cheaper. Specifically, I am talking about the wild LG Wing with a swiveling dual-screen design and the sleek LG Velvet, both of which have received some sweet discounts merely days after LG’s not-so-shocking announcement.
LG Velvet for around $400, or even lower? Go, get it!
Starting with the LG Velvet, Amazon currently has an unlocked unit going for as low as $379. And if you can settle for a renewed unit, it will cost you an even smaller sum of $275. The phone originally made its way to the US market priced at around $600, while the variant that supports mmWave 5G – which Verizon sells as LG Velvet 5G UW – hit the shelves priced at $700. T-Mobile, on the other hand, has discounted the phone to $400.
For that price, the LG Velvet is a fairly good phone. It has a premium glass-and-metal build with an appealing design, a capable processor (MediaTek Dimensity 1000C / Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G), a trio of cameras at the back, a sufficiently pixel-dense OLED display, and a 4,300mAh battery with wireless charging support. And with LG promising updates for at least another two years, the LG Velvet seems like a very compelling phone at its reduced price. Want to get into the nitty-gritty? Watch Pockentow’s LG Velvet review above.
The wild LG Wing gets a cool 40% discount
Down the road, LG Wing will be a cool piece of smartphone history
Now, this one’s a cool collector’s item, even if you’re not much intrigued about the value proposition here. I mean, just look at the phone. LG was the only brand courageous enough to do such an experiment last year. And even though the phone didn’t prove to be a smash hit, it at least brought something fresh to the table. Also, that second screen isn’t merely a gimmick. Don’t just take my words for it. Watch Pocketnow’s review video above in which Joshua Vergara explains all the pros and cons in detail.
So, the LG Wing made its debut in the US market priced at $999. However, T-Mobile is currently selling it for $599.99. Alternatively, you can go for an installment plan that will set you back by $25 per month for the next two years. For that price, you get a phone that will get at least the next two major Android upgrades, fairly capable hardware, and a ton of bragging rights for you.
The downside?
Well, LG is saying goodbye to the phone market, and will offer software support for some of its premium phones. However, after-sales support might not be as solid down the road as it was last week. Yes, there will be third-party services that can fix your phone if it meets an accident, but that would ultimately depend on the availability of replacement parts, especially for these two premium phones – the LG Velvet and Wing. If you think that gamble is worth taking, go ahead.