What you need to know
- LG is reportedly developing a 4G variant of its mid-range Velvet phone with a Snapdragon 845 processor.
- The 4G LG Velvet is tipped to be 20% cheaper than the 5G-enabled variant.
- LG is expected to launch the 4G variant of the Velvet in the Middle East and South America.
LG took the wraps off the Velvet last month, the first smartphone to feature its new minimalistic design language. While the LG Velvet isn't a flagship-grade product like the V60 ThinQ, it does come with 5G connectivity and supports the company's Dual Screen accessory. Now, a new leak suggests LG is planning to launch a 4G variant of the premium mid-range phone with a two-year-old chipset and a lower price tag.
According to Iranian tech site Toranji.ir, the 4G variant of the LG Velvet will be powered by a Snapdragon 845, the same chipset that is used in the LG G7. While it lacks 5G support, the Snapdragon 845 offers similar CPU performance as the Snapdragon 765 under the hood of the LG Velvet 5G and has a faster GPU. Thanks to the older chipset, however, the LG Velvet 4G may not receive updates for as long as the 5G model. As noted by GSMArena, LG launched a new phone with a Snapdragon 845 chipset in Japan earlier this year, so it is certainly plausible that a Snapdragon 845-powered version of the Velvet is on its way.
The 4G version of the Velvet is said to be 20% cheaper than the 5G version, so it could retail for around $600. Apart from the Middle East, the smartphone is likely to be launched in select markets across South America as well. Unfortunately, there is no word on exactly when the LG Velvet 4G will be formally unveiled.
