LG is getting out of the mobile phone business • Hacker News Board

Re: LG is getting out of the mobile phone business

#251

Post by kiwijamo » Mon, Apr 05, 2021, 8:18 AM UTC

sanxiyn wrote: post #121

trabant00 wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because at large people don't select their phone based on what you mention. What does matter I believe is marketing. I think most importantly is Samsung's image presence vs LG. Can't remember the last time I've seen a TV advert for LG. Or a billboard in the city center, or youtube hype from influencers, etc. While Samsung is everywhere. Second is the cool factor. LG has none while Samsung have this as a priority. Fro…

There seems to be large regional variance. I live in South Korea, LG definitely advertised a lot. I recommended LG phones to a lot of people who asked me, and no one complained. Edit: For example, people love LG's KnockON feature.

Here in New Zealand, I see Samsung advertising everywhere. TV, billboards, in store, digital, etc. Whereas LG has very little advertising and usually not for their mobile phones. LG is a South Korean company so I guess they advertised heaps domestically but not internationally?

Re: LG is getting out of the mobile phone business

#252

Post by mywacaday » Mon, Apr 05, 2021, 8:19 AM UTC

ohazi wrote: post #66

I never understood why Samsung phones were constantly receiving praise by tech reviewers while LG got crapped on. Samsung always wanted to do things their way -- different (shitty) UI, Samsung versions of all the core Google apps (but worse), reorganizing preferences for no reason, the stupid bottom button placement, non-remappable Bixby button, aggressively killing apps for power management and breaking widgets, etc…

I had two Motorola phones back to back and really liked them, hardly any bloatware, performed well and the second one had a impact resistant screen that wasn't glass, didn't need a case and tooke some awful banks but never cracked even though it had some dents.

Re: LG is getting out of the mobile phone business

#253

Post by SuperFluffy » Mon, Apr 05, 2021, 8:21 AM UTC

Good. I swore to never get an LG phone again after my terrible customer service experience sending in my G4 for fixing their serial bootloop issue. Sent the phone in, took two weeks for it to get fixed, and then got lost on the way back to me. I then had to fight DHL to get some of my money back. Their customer service line threatened me with their legal department should I write about this online.

All out great experience.

Re: LG is getting out of the mobile phone business

#254

Post by waheoo » Mon, Apr 05, 2021, 8:21 AM UTC

postingawayonhn wrote: post #206

trabant00 wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because at large people don't select their phone based on what you mention. What does matter I believe is marketing. I think most importantly is Samsung's image presence vs LG. Can't remember the last time I've seen a TV advert for LG. Or a billboard in the city center, or youtube hype from influencers, etc. While Samsung is everywhere. Second is the cool factor. LG has none while Samsung have this as a priority. Fro…

I think for Samsung the key was to build a loyal customer base by copying the iPhone at a lower price point. Thier designs have now departed significantly from those of Apple but the core customers have stuck around.

I think it's simply that people that buy LG don't buy a lot of phones. Samsung so shit you need to buy the new model to get rid of the annoyances of the last. S3 and note were really their only winners. LG hits it out of the park at every price point almost every generation.

Same goes for HTC. Buy once, cry once, hodl that shit for half a decade on the short side.

Re: LG is getting out of the mobile phone business

#255

Post by sgtnoodle » Mon, Apr 05, 2021, 8:22 AM UTC

ekianjo wrote: post #40

zozin wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They're obsessed with making money. No 3.5mm means you're more likely to buy bluetooth earbuds. No SD? Cloud services. Battery? You'll get a new phone after 18-24 months. No charger? Wireless charging pad. Apple can "get away" with it because to a lot of people it's a luxury/lifestyle brand. Android vendors copy them because they want to create new revenue streams by removing features/out of nothing too!

Nevermind all the disposable junk that it creates. And people at the same time complain about the lack of respect for the environment.

That's why I try to buy used phones when possible, and repair them when seemingly wrecked to eek out a bit more life (going as far as re-flowing BGA ICs and bypassing damaged PCB traces with enamel wire).

The LG G6 was a great phone to buy used, and it's not too horrible to open up to repair. Probably has something to do with LG giving up...

Re: LG is getting out of the mobile phone business

#256

Post by carschno » Mon, Apr 05, 2021, 8:23 AM UTC

billfruit wrote: post #240

jariel wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not bewildering if it's literally always been true. A few points: Samsung is not cool. Or rather, maybe a little bit among some very middle/lower class people. Selling mobiles is done primarily through carriers - this is not about Samsung direct advertising mostly, by and large, it's through the deals made with carriers. Google has never taken their phone and it's manufacturing/distribution as seriously as Samsu…

Outside of US, carrier bundling is rarely seen, people buy phones and carrier plans often prepaid separately.

The US is a pretty large market, plus carrier bundling is quite common in Europe too. You are usually free to choose a non-bundled phone as well, but I have no ideas what the numbers are.

Within the bundled packages, my impression is that Samsung is very dominant as well among the Android phones.

Re: LG is getting out of the mobile phone business

#257

Post by kiwijamo » Mon, Apr 05, 2021, 8:23 AM UTC

billfruit wrote: post #240

jariel wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not bewildering if it's literally always been true. A few points: Samsung is not cool. Or rather, maybe a little bit among some very middle/lower class people. Selling mobiles is done primarily through carriers - this is not about Samsung direct advertising mostly, by and large, it's through the deals made with carriers. Google has never taken their phone and it's manufacturing/distribution as seriously as Samsu…

Outside of US, carrier bundling is rarely seen, people buy phones and carrier plans often prepaid separately.

New Zealand is outside the US and it's not unusual for people to buy their phones from their carrier alongside signing up to a plan especially if they are spending a lot of money. Phones purchased directly from the carrier are guaranteed to have the correct LTE bands which makes it easier to be sure you will get the best performance. Also carriers offer sweet interest-free deals with free stuff throw in which makes it more appealing than buying a phone outright. It's usually people buying cheaper phones that may just pair up an cheap phone from an independent store with a cheap plan often from a virtual operator.

Re: LG is getting out of the mobile phone business

#258

Post by kiwijamo » Mon, Apr 05, 2021, 8:25 AM UTC

cageface wrote: post #235

ohazi wrote: post #66

I never understood why Samsung phones were constantly receiving praise by tech reviewers while LG got crapped on. Samsung always wanted to do things their way -- different (shitty) UI, Samsung versions of all the core Google apps (but worse), reorganizing preferences for no reason, the stupid bottom button placement, non-remappable Bixby button, aggressively killing apps for power management and breaking widgets, etc…

At least in the places I've been in Asia distribution is a huge part of it. Samsung phones are available in every shop and they have their own dedicated stores in the bigger shopping malls.

I've noticed the same here in New Zealand. My local mall is not a particularly large/important mall but it still has a Samsung store. Even if that wasn't there, all the carrier stores sell Samsung. All the electronics stores sell Samsung. Hardly any LG mobiles to be seen!

Re: LG is getting out of the mobile phone business

#259

Post by Kjeldahl » Mon, Apr 05, 2021, 8:26 AM UTC

LG had good phones. But while most other phones allowed some minor cracks in their glass, the earlier LGs did not. One minor crack and the touch UI would stop working (they fused the touch sensor to the glass or something). They insisted on this "feature" for longer than most competitors I believe, and for every customer that experienced it we would 1) Never by an LG again, and 2) Bitch about it to others. I'm sure this was a factor to their downfall as well.

Re: LG is getting out of the mobile phone business

#260

Post by azurezyq » Mon, Apr 05, 2021, 8:26 AM UTC

VWWHFSfQ wrote: post #158

Scarbutt wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldn't discard Huawei, they are on par with Samsung.

Huawei is basically dead as a consumer brand after USA and EU went after them [0]. They've re-branded most of their consumer stuff as Xiaomi. [0] https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/chinese-telecommunications-co...

I don't think EU ever targeted Huawei's consumer business. It's only the US for this exact one.