LG K8, K10 look to bridge the gap between low-end and flagship status

One of the big highlights at MWC 2018, other than the Samsung Galaxy S9, will be the debut of LG’s AI-focused LG V30S. But the Korean company has a few other launches planned, including upgrades to its low-end lineup of phones.

The LG K8 and LG K10 (from left to right in the photo above) are receiving a fresh coat of paint, both inside and out, for 2018 and will be launching soon in regions like Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. There’s good reason to believe that they will both come to both the US and Australia, but that’s yet to be confirmed.

A chip off the old LG G6 block, the K10 looks to be the star of the new duo, built with the same rear-facing 13MP sensor that’s capable of phase detection auto focus (PDAF), the ability to track moving objects while staying in focus. This will be complemented by an 8MP selfie camera that can add depth of field to selfies for a more pronounced look.

While the K8 doesn’t have the same caliber of optics, it is still receiving substantial upgrades in the form of a more robust user interface for the camera app. Users will be able to utilize Gesture Shot, Flash for Selfie and Quick Share, which were previously available only on the K10.

Potential mid-range all-stars

Of the improvements made over last year’s models, the highlights include a slick, new 2.5D glass design and rear fingerprint sensor that gives them a flagship-like quality. Both phones also feature a microSD slot so that internal storage can get a hearty boost.

It goes without saying that these phones likely can’t hold their own compared to more affordable premium devices, like the Essential Phone and OnePlus 5T, but they should do perfectly well for those on a budget.

The K8 and K10 both feature Android Nougat 7.1.2 and boast 720p displays. While that’s a relatively low-screen resolution for today’s standards, their batteries (3,000mAh for the K10, 2,500mAh for the K8) should provide long-lasting performance.

LG has shared a single photo of the K8 and K10 together, seen above, but we’ll be getting a much closer look at both of them at MWC 2018 coming up later this week.

Interested in specs? Here are the full specifications for the K10 and K8, respectively.

LG K10 specs

Chipset: 1.5 GHz Octa-Core
Display: 5.3-inch HD In-cell Touch (1280 x 720 / 277ppi)
Memory:
- K10+ : 3GB RAM / 32GB ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)
- K10: 2GB RAM / 16GB ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)
- K10α : 2GB RAM / 16GB ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)
K10+ : 3GB RAM / 32GB ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)
K10: 2GB RAM / 16GB ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)
K10α : 2GB RAM / 16GB ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)
Camera:
- K10+ : Rear 13MP / Front 8MP or 5MP (Wide)
- K10: Rear 13MP / Front 8MP or 5MP (Wide)
- K10α : Rear 8MP / Front 5MP
K10+ : Rear 13MP / Front 8MP or 5MP (Wide)
K10: Rear 13MP / Front 8MP or 5MP (Wide)
K10α : Rear 8MP / Front 5MP
Battery: 3,000mAh (embedded)
Operating System: Android 7.1.2 Nougat
Size: 148.7 x 75.3 x 8.68mm
Weight: 162g
Network: LTE / 3G / 2G
Connectivity: Wi-Fi (802.11 b, g, n) / Bluetooth 4.2 / USB 2.0 Type B / NFC
Colors:
- K10+: Moroccan Blue / Terra Gold
- K10 : Aurora Black / Moroccan Blue / Terra Gold
- K10α: Aurora Black / Terra Gold
K10+: Moroccan Blue / Terra Gold
K10 : Aurora Black / Moroccan Blue / Terra Gold
K10α: Aurora Black / Terra Gold
Other: Fingerprint Scanner / FM Radio / Flash Jump Shot / Music Flash /

LG K8 specs

Chipset: 1.3 GHz Quad-Core
Display: 5.0-inch HD On-cell Touch (1280 x 720 / 294ppi)
Memory: 2GB RAM / 16GB ROM / microSD (up to 32GB)
Camera: Rear 8MP / Front 5MP
Battery: 2,500mAh (removable)
Operating System: Android 7.1.2 Nougat
Size: 146.3 x 73.2 x 8.2mm
Weight: 152g
Network: LTE / 3G / 2G
Connectivity: Wi-Fi (802.11 b, g, n) / Bluetooth 4.2 / USB 2.0 Type B
Colors: Aurora Black / Moroccan Blue / Terra Gold
Other: FM Radio / Flash Jump Shot / Music Flash / Time Helper / Quick Capture / Quick Shutter