LG G3 (CDMA)
Verizon Delivers Marshmallow to HTC One M9, LG G4
Verizon Wireless today said it is providing the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update to a handful of phones, including the HTC One M9, LG G4, and LG G3. For the M9, Marshmallow brings Android Pay support, customizable notifications, Google Now On Tap, Doze, bug fixes and other improvements. For the G4, Marshmallow adds WiFi Calling in addition to the standard upgrade list for Android 6.0. The G3 will see a straight update to Android 6.0 without added feature from Verizon. Verizon said Marshmallow is pushing out over the air starting today. It may take several days to reach all devices.
Verizon's Note 3 Earns Lollipop Update Today
Verizon Wireless said its version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will begin to receive Android 5.0 Lollipop today. The over-the-air update will roll out to all users gradually. According to Verizon, seven of its handsets now run Lollipop, including the Motorola Moto X (2nd gen); Galaxy Note 4, S5, and Note 3; LG G2 and G3; and the HTC One M8.
Lollipop Reaching Verizon's LG G3 Just Ahead of G4's Debut
Verizon Wireless has begun updating its variant of the LG G3 to Android 5.0 Lollipop. Asside from the standard list of new features, the G3 gains a new version of LG Health. The update is rolling out over the air in phases and is free to download.
Sprint Delivering Lollipop to LG G3
Sprint today said owners of the LG G3 should be able to update their devices to Android 5.0 Lollipop beginning today. Lollipop adds a wide range of new features, including Material Design, improved notifications, updated lock screen, upgraded Google Services, integrated messaging, and support for Google TV. The update also improves battery performance. Users can download and install the update over the air.
Sprint Expands Leasing Program to G3, Note 4
Sprint today increased the number of devices eligible for its leasing program by adding the LG G3 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. Sprint said new and existing customers can lease the G3 for $15 per month for 24 months or the Note 4 for $25 per month for 24 months. Customers can take the devices home for $0 down. At the end of the lease, customers can turn the device in and lease another or return the device (as long as it is in working order) and terminate their service. Sprint already offers leases on the Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S5.
LG to Start Pushing Lollipop to the G3
LG today said it will soon begin distributing Android 5.0 Lollipop to its G3 smartphone. LG will deliver Lollipop to G3 owners in Poland first, followed by "other key markets in the near future." The company claims it is the first handset maker to offer Android 5.0 to its existing device base. LG also said it will soon publish a schedule detailing the Lollipop upgrade for other LG phones. The G3 is available from the major U.S. carriers, but neither they nor LG made any specific announcements regarding Lollipop's arrival on the G3 in the U.S. LG happened to manufacture both the Nexus 4 and the Nexus 5 smartphones, which should be among the first to receive Lollipop. The Nexus phones will be updated directly by Google.
U.S. Cellular Scores LG's G3, to Go On Sale in October
U.S. Cellular today said it will soon offer the LG G3. The flagship device, which boasts a 5.5-inch quad HD display and 13-megapixel camera, will go on sale in October, though U.S. Cellular didn't say exactly when. U.S. Cellular said the phone will be available for $0 down followed by 24 monthly payments for well-qualified customers. The company didn't disclose the full retail price of the G3. The G3 has been available from other carriers for several months.
Verizon Starts VoLTE Roll-Out; Wi-Fi Calling on Deck for 2015
Verizon Wireless has slowly begun to enable VoLTE on select devices on its network. To start, VoLTE is available to the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the LG G3. In order to use the service, subscribers need to download an app called Advanced Calling 1.0. More devices will supported over time. In order for VoLTE to work, both parties need to have VoLTE-capable phones and access to Verizon's LTE 4G network. The service, which is free to use, offers high-quality calls that are passed over the data network rather than the traditional voice network. Separately, Verizon Wireless said that, like AT&T, it is going to wait until 2015 to launch Wi-Fi Calling. Verizon CFO Fran Shammo said it will eventually roll out the service, which is supported by the Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, but it is not a priority. "We built our voice platform so extensively [that] there was never a need for us to tell our customers, 'Oh, our network is not good enough so you need to go on Wi-Fi to complete your call,'" said Shammo. Both Sprint and T-Mobile offer Wi-Fi Calling to a growing number of handsets. T-Mobile just today launched its Personal CellSpot in order to help its customers experience better voice connectivity when in their homes.
Verizon Testing Unwanted App Removal on LG G3
Verizon Wireless is trialling a new policy on the LG G3 that allows owners to remove bloatware. Like many smartphones, the G3 ships with preloaded applications selected by Verizon. Device owners have no say in which apps are preloaded and may find them useless or uninteresting. Typically, preloaded apps cannot be removed from smartphones. That changes with the LG G3. According to Verizon, preloaded "applications can be completely and entirely uninstalled by the customer via the standard uninstall process." Customers need to use the built-in Android app manager to delete any unwanted apps. Deleting apps frees phones of clutter and clears valuable storage space. Verizon didn't say if it will expand the trial to other devices.
Verizon Taking Preorders for LG G3, Ships July 17
Verizon Wireless is now allowing customers to preorder the LG G3 via its web site. Verizon is asking for $99 with a two-year contract, $30 per month with Verizon Edge, or $600 at full retail. The device ships July 17 and is XLTE compatible.
Sprint to Begin Selling LG G3 July 18
Sprint today revealed it will commence sales of the LG G3 on July 18 in stores, online and via telephone. Sprint is offering several different ways to pay for the device. With Sprint Easy Pay, for example, customers can buy the G3 with $0 down followed by 24 monthly payments of $25. Preorders for the device begin July 11. The company is offering award cards for early adopters of the phone. New and existing customers who buy the G3 between July 11 and July 24 will qualify for a $150 gift card, and those who buy the G3 between July 25 and August 14 will qualify for a $100 gift card. T-Mobile plans to sell the G3 beginning July 16. AT&T and Verizon have yet to announced G3 availability.
LG Debuts SDK for the G3's QuickCircle Case
LG today made an SDK available to developers that will allow them to tap into the QuickCircle case accessory that goes along with the G3. The QuickCircle case handles several different tasks. First, the case has a circular window to the G3's screen through which users can view the time, place calls, send text messages, take photos, or listen to music. The case includes circular smart lighting to accentuate the design, and includes a Qi-based connector for wireless charging. The LG QCircle SDK will let developers customize their own apps and make them directly accessible from the QuickCircle window via LG's QCircle user interface. The SDK is free for developers to download. The LG G3 will be available in the U.S. later this summer.
Hands-On: LG G3
The G3 from LG shows plenty of promise, though it is far more complicated than the "simple is the new smart" message LG used to describe it. Here is our initial hands-on report.
LG Shows Off the G3, with Quad HD Display, at Global Events
LG today announced the LG G3, its flagship smartphone for 2014. The G3 follows design ideas set by the G2 and later refined by the G Flex. The defining feature of the device is the display, which is one of the industry's first quad HD (2560 x 1440) screens. It measures 5.5 inches across the diagonal, making for a pixel density of 538 pixels per inch. The G3 has a "metallic" (but made of plastic) rear cover to boost its visual and tactile appeal. Like the G2, the volume toggle and home buttons are placed on the back of the phone rather than the sides. LG claims this makes the buttons more natural to use when the device is held in the hand. The G3 has a 13-megapixel camera aided by optical image stabilization, laser-assisted auto-focus, and dual-LED flash. The device has a 2.1-megapixel user-facing camera with wide aperture. The G3 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with four cores at 2.5GHz each. The device will come in several different configurations with respect to memory, including a 2GB model and a 3GB model. Internal storage will range between 16GB and 32GB. The G3 has a built-in 1W speaker with Boost AMP for improved sound reproduction. The phone has a 3,000mAh battery that is removable, and it supports wireless charging. The G3 runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat and includes a new, redesigned user interface from LG that is flatter and more closely resembles that of native Android. Some of the software features include a kill switch that owners can use to disable the device; Knock Code for personalized device security; Content Lock to secure and protect individual files; as well as Smart Keyboard for adaptive learning of the owner's typing habits; and Smart Notice for a personal assistant (akin to Siri or Cortana). The LG G3 supports global LTE networks and will be sold by all four major U.S carriers later this summer. It will be offered in a handful of colors.
