Update 2 (12/20/19 @ 7:20 AM ET): The LG8X ThinQ has been launched in India for a price of ₹49,999 (~$702).

Update 1 (10/22/19 @ 4:30 PM ET): The LG G8X is launching in the US on November 1st. It will cost $699 (Dual Display included). The original article as published on September 6, 2019, is preserved as below.

There was some debate on whether LG's next device would be the LG G8X or the LG V50S and today the company put that to rest. Announced at IFA 2019, the LG G8X ThinQ is the company's second device to feature the Dual Screen accessory. This time, however, it's not reserved for Korea only and they've made some key improvements.

 

First, let's talk about the phone itself, which is the least exciting part of the announcement. There aren't a huge number of differences between the LG G8 ThinQ and LG G8X. The G8X is slightly larger with a 6.4-inch OLED display with FHD+ resolution and a small waterdrop notch. Interestingly, the resolution is lower than the LG G8 (3120 x 1440).

The LG G8X also has dual cameras on the back. The main sensor is 12MP with f/1.8 aperture and the secondary camera is 13MP at f/2.4 with 136-degree wide-angle field-of-view. LG is shipping some new camera software, including "AI Action Shot," which can automatically increase shutter speed when detecting fast-moving subjects. The front camera is 32MP.

In terms of performance, we're looking at basically the same as the G8. The LG G8X has the Snapdragon 855 processor, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage (expandable), and a slightly larger 4,000mAh battery. Again, it features Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 and wireless charging.

We also can't talk about an LG phone without mentioning audio. The LG G8X features a stereo speaker, 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC, and DTS:X 3D Surround Sound. Oh, and they are still sticking with the 3.5mm headphone jack. LG also says the microphone is automatically turned up when capturing video for ASMR recording. Yes, they really said that.

Dual Screen

Now, on to the Dual Screen accessory. LG has made several key improvements over the Dual Screen we saw with the LG V50. It now connects to the phone via USB Type-C rather than pogo pins. The display on the Dual Screen is the exact same as the LG G8X for symmetry. LG even included a fake waterdrop notch on the Dual Screen just to make sure they look the same.

The hinge has been improved and it can rotate a full 360-degrees now. A lot of people thought the original Dual Screen should have some sort of display when closed, a la the Galaxy Fold, and now there is one. It's a small 2.1-inch display that can show the time, date, battery, notifications, etc. LG also claims the Dual Screen uses less power now.

The problems with the Dual Screen are still present, though. You still have to deal with a rather larger gap between the two displays. App support is not great if you want to stretch one app across both screens. The Dual Screen also adds a good amount of thickness to the LG G8X.

Availability

The LG G8X and Dual Screen will be available in "key markets" later this year. LG did not share pricing information. It will be available in one color: Aurora Black.

Source: LG

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Update: Launching in USA on November 1

LG has finally announced the pricing and release date for the LG G8X. It will be launching in the US on November 1st for $699. That's a pretty decent price when you consider LG is bundling the Dual Display accessory with it. So you're getting two displays in one device. It will be available from Amazon, AT&T, and Sprint.

Source: LG

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Update 2: Launched in India for ₹49,999 (~$702)

LG has launched the LG G8X ThinQ in India. The smartphone with its Dual Screen will cost ₹49,999 (~$702). The phone will be available across offline retail outlets from December 21, 2019.

Source: NDTV Gadgets