LG G9 ThinQ: Price, release date, news, and rumors

We have no information regarding the exact specs of the cameras, but if we were to venture a guess, we'd bet on the tried-and-true formula of combining a wide, ultra-wide, telephoto and depth-sensing cameras together. This covers a wide range of focal lengths and also provides some improved depth-measuring capabilities for things like Portrait Mode and AR applications.

Better display with a waterdrop notch

LG hasn’t exactly been leading the pack in terms of display innovation over the last years. The company’s plastic OLED panels haven’t been quite as great as Samsung’s Super AMOLEDs, both in terms of peak brightness and color accuracy, though the LG G8 ThinQ was a marked improvement over its predecessors on both accounts.

For the most part, LG has followed the pack when it comes to increasing screen real estate – moving to a taller aspect ratio, reducing the bezels, and introducing a notch. The next big step comes in the form of true in-display cameras, but we wouldn’t hold our breath to see one on the LG G9 ThinQ. The technology is still in its infancy, and though we’ve seen working prototypes, it won't be ready for prime time for the G9.

It doesn't look like LG will settle for a hole-punch selfie camera, either. The latest leaks suggest that the LG G9 ThinQ will have a small, waterdrop-type notch and a relatively even frame around the display. The G9 ThinQ won't have the slimmest of bezels, but it seems like LG is trying to keep the width of the bezels relatively even on all sides of the screen, though it appears thicker at the bottom, as can be expected.

The last bastion of the headphone jack

The headphone jack is close to extinction in the premium smartphone segment. Samsung has so far stood its ground by keeping the 3.5mm jack in its Galaxy flagships, but the Note 10 put an end to it. The beloved jack may have turned into an endangered species among flagships, but as we already said, the LG G9 ThinQ is likely going to be poised as an upper midrange device, rather than a Galaxy S20 or iPhone 12 competitor.

But aside from this, the same people who would by an LG phone for its excellent Quad DAC and headphone audio quality, are coincidentally the same people who need a 3.5mm jack. So, unless LG is planning to stop catering to audiphiles and to remove one of the current-defining features of its premium phones, we’d be inclined to believe that the G9 ThinQ may retain the headphone jack.

Our theory is further backed by information coming from prolific leakster @OnLeaks, who has confirmed that the LG G9 will, indeed, feature a 3.5mm headphone jack. 

LG's troubled Android skin

LG’s custom Android skin hasn't been the worst offender out there, but it could definitely use some improvements—both in terms of its visual design and actual functionality. The G8 ThinQ, despite running Android 9 Pie out of the box, didin't have many of the bells and whistles that other custom skins—and even "stock" Android itself—have on offer.

LG recently sort of unveiled the next version of its UX Android skin (yep, it's called UX) and it seemed to address many of the issues that we've had with previous iterations. In a now-deleted teaser trailer for the update, the company showed off what looked like a total redesign of the interface, packing a lot of new features, such as system-wide night mode.

The video immediately started drawing comparisons with Samsung's One UI and was promptly taken down by LG, hence why we can't show it to you. We don't know if the company decided to remove all information about LG UX 9.0 due to the apparent similarities with One UI, or simply because it was shared earlier than intended by mistake, but what we saw in the video made us both optimistic and a bit worried.