LG G7 ThinQ renders surfaced earlier this month, "revealing" that the device will have four physical buttons. Power, volume up, and volume down are pretty obvious, but the fourth one comes as a surprise: a dedicated Google Assistant button.
As CNET reports, LG's next flagship will have a physical key reserved for Google Assistant, similar to the Bixby button that debuted with the Samsung Galaxy S8 in 2017.
LG G7 ThinQ's Dedicated Google Assistant Key
The report adds that the button is located at the left side of the device, opposite a power button on the right. Much similar to the LG V30S, which has artificial intelligence features, the G7 ThinQ will apparently get custom LG commands to ask Google Assistant, but it remains unclear exactly what these are.
Samsung Bixby
The Bixby button on the Galaxy S8 and succeeding smartphone initially became a center of controversy because Samsung didn't want to allow users to turn it off or remap the key to trigger another function apart from Bixby. The South Korean electronics brand later succumbed to widespread outcry and decided to let consumers do whatever they wanted with the Bixby button. It's not clear if LG plans to disable remapping of its built-in Google Assistant button.
Part of why Samsung users disliked the Bixby key so much is because of Bixby itself. Suffice it to say that it wasn't as robust and durable as Google Assistant, leaving very little incentive to keep using it as the default assistant. By and large, Google Assistant has received far better reception than Bixby, so there might be very few complaints about the LG decision to dedicate a hardware key for it. Still, it should be noted that some users are critical of the squeeze-for-Assistant function on the new Pixel phones.
LG G7 ThinQ Unveiling
LG is expected to unveil the G7 ThinQ at a New York event this May. Like the iPhone X, this device will sport a notch design, but it can be turned off via software if you're not much of a fan. Specs remain to be determined, but considering this will be a top-tier flagship, expect at least a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, perhaps up to 6 GB of RAM, and a pretty decent battery life. Details on pricing and release date remain slim, but the unveiling isn't that far ahead. Make sure to check back with Tech Times to catch up on the latest.
Thoughts about that LG G7 ThinQ? Do you think that adding a Google Assistant key was a was choice? As always, feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
