Another LG Windows Phone render revives rumors of a return, this time on Verizon

By John Callaham
last updated

A render of what appears to be an unannounced mid-range Windows Phone made by LG with a Verizon Wireless logo is making the Internet rounds today, but no other information about the alleged device has been revealed.

LG Windows Phone Render

The render was first posted at Neowin, via a unnamed source, and shows what appears to be virtual buttons on the bottom, which may or may not indicate a device with some low-end or even mid-range hardware.

The article didn't offer any other information about this device, including specifications, a timeframe for release, or pricing. The render itself is incredibly generic, not lending much to get excited about at this time.

Long, dubious history

This render is just the latest in a series of rumors over the past couple of years about LG returning to make Windows Phone devices, none of which have born any fruit so far. The company was one of the first manufacturing partners to work with Microsoft when Windows Phone 7 launched in 2010, but the firm has not released any new devices for the OS since that time.

In 2012, Windows Central managed to acquire the LG 'Fantasy', a prototype device with support for NFC (a first for Windows Phone at the time). However, that phone never made it to commercialization.

In 2013, some rumors claimed that LG would make a new Windows Phone product but those reports were quickly denied by the company. In 2014, a "leak" of another LG Windows Phone render was later shown to be a hoax.

AdDuplex recorded what appeared to be a new LG Windows Phone in its in-app stats in July 2014. However, so far there's been nothing to suggest that the device is being launched anytime soon.

Will LG return to Windows Phone for real this time? Without more information, we have to remain cautiously optimistic. It would seem odd for some carrier releases pre-Windows 10 at this point, but predicting Verizon's behavior is never easy.

In addition to this phone, according to our reporting Verizon is still planning to launch the Lumia 735 sometime in May.

Source: Neowin

228 Comments
  • They always keep coming back for more...
  • They're likely doing the same thing that Samsung is doing. Building a Windows Phone so that Microsoft gives them a break on Android royalty fees. 
  • Yup true!
  • I'm surprised that Micah hasn't commented with "Lumias are better..." Oh wait, this isn't an htc article lol
  • Well, they are better. MS and other OEM's aren't picking up the slack to fill the software holes on these other OEM phones.  You won't get DLNA embedding, call blocking, or sensor core abilities on a non-Lumia.  Nokia wrote the Play To and a blocking addition to the phone app to fill some of these holes.  MS wrote sensore core to only be compatible with Lumia hardware.  None of it is getting pushed to other OEM phones.   HTC, LG, Samsung, etc... can put WP on the best hardware they make but if nobody fills in the holes in the OS, it's not much use.
  • Don't they know, Verizon will try their hardest to delay the device, the updates, and then kill the device early? Not only that, they'll remove the visual voicemail then charge you 2.99 to get it back.
  • Emmm How do you know? Considering you are taking a nap....
  • I approve this
  • Outdated Lumia and LG device that may or may not exist. We're just living the dream here with Verizon aren't we
  • Seems pointless to be using low end devices on Verizon.  A Lumia 822 refresh would be more appropriate
  • 822 still going strong as a daily driver. Perfectly fine until a new flagship. We'll change carriers to support the new flagship.
  • My wife and step-daughter are both on the 822. I'm thinking about switching to Total Wireless, which will save me about $80 a month and keep me on Verizon's network, which is the only network worth having where I live.
  • This is too bad. Verizon, where windows phones go to die....
  • Agree.
  • Verizon, the queen of the WPs that never have been released or updated...
  • I think they have a thing against Lumias
  • Pretty sure every WP they have carried is on the latest update. Not to mention they have the widest selection of WP in the US.
  • You confusing Verizon with att?
  • Yeh, Verizon has the least probably lol.
  • No, that would be sprint with only the 635. For about 6 months they had 0 windows phones.
  • It was only 2 mos...and not that it matters, but the 635 was annouced about a week after the 8XT went off the market.
  • I was probably inflating the 6months but I know it was longer than a week for the 635 announcement because I was following th situation closely. Probably closer to a month. When it was announced, the availability would be only with boost and sprint prepaid initially. For traditional sprint customers there was a period of at least 3 months with no WP option.
  • 12/4: Sprint ceased sales of the 8XT 12/16:  635 Announced 1/16:  635 Available to Sprint Postpaid... 6 weeks.
  • Icon, ativ se, m8 windows phone? And they all are on the latest updates.
  • They stopped selling the the Icon.  You can only get it from the MS store now.  It also took Verizon about a year to update the Icon and ATIV from 8.0 to 8.1
  • It's been over 6 months since they stopped selling the Icon.
  • Att and Verizon both have something against Microsoft, here is another example: http://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-DGB-41317 they both will not let Samsung's s6 have preinstalled Microsoft apps (the deal Microsoft made with Samsung which involved license fees from Samsung to Microsoft) . I really HATE carrier involvement slowing the growth of WP down in the US: Verizon and AT&T Won’t Pre-Install Three Microsoft Apps on Samsung S6
  • Yeah saw this a few days ago and for some reason windowscentral still hasn't reported it.
  • Cause WC had other sites in their portfolio to think about? I am not sure but sometimes I do wonder.. Nothing bad about WC btw but politically rightness goes a long way...
  • They already posted it wasn't. Posted via the Windows Phone Central App for Android
  • Jeez! WTF? I'm not in the US, nor would I buy android, so this has no direct effect on me, but that's just ridiculous. I'd love to hear a justification for those actions, but I won't hold my breath! I just hope Google is too cocksure to lube itself up for the EU... We're sending Italy in dry! ;)
  • This is BS! MS is fighting a losing battle with US carriers. The carriers know most of their customers could care less about windows anything so they do whatever they can to hold it back. At the same time, I don't know what MS was thinking trying to push their own apps on other platforms. Maybe MS needs to focus 100% of their time on their own platform and stop kissing android's ASS!!!
  • I agree with you it seems they should concentrate on their own turf, BUT, because of carrier influence in the US they need an option to promote the awesomeness of many of their products. Samsung had an entry and this is the way the strongest wireless providers put Microsoft down?????? I wish they did something about that.... Bring out a flagship phone that works everywhere would be a good start. Fuck the carriers, fuck them back!! That's what this world is about..
  • I am pretty sure if you pull back the curtain you will see Eric Schmidt behind it, holding the puppet strings.
  • Don't know about that but maybe it's time for Microsoft to focus fully on Europe, middle east and Asia. You know go full high end and other models there. And just leave the USA for what it is.
  • That proposition although justified would still not work, as that leaves the US market for Android and Apple to just dominate. Also I imagine these "providers" (more like piranhas) want people to use Their own (AT&T & Verizon's) cloud storage offerings and charge for it. Therefore profiting two ways - charging for data access (internet data) and storage. That would be the logical argument, whereas the "illogical" would be as you suggested. Personally I believe it is a mixture of both.
  • ATT isn't installing OneDrive because they offer a competing cloud storage product. Why Verizon won't install any of those three apps should be investigated.
  • I prefer they didn't install anyone's apps.  First we complain about bloatware then gripe when apps aren't preinstalled.
  • It cracks me up when people on this site, Rubino included, make such statements, as if "we" are in unison about everything. "We" are a collection of individuals with differing opinions on various topics. Mystery solved.
  • Those apps aren't "bloatware". It wouldn't be "bloatware" if WP came with Google apps preinstalled either. These are apps people actually WANT on their phones. "Bloatware" is the stuff from the carriers that everyone just uninstalls anyway.
  • "Bloatware" is anything pre-installed beyond the OS.
  • You realize that leaves a phone with only the settings, right? Maybe the Store app should at least be there. Even the apps that are not uninstallable are apps, not part of the OS.
  • Beautiful!! My next upgrade right there! I've had this device over 2 years but its worth the wait I'm sure.
  • It's only worth the wait if its real...
  • Speak for yourself because it is to me. What would expect me to buy on Verizons network? All they currently have is HTC One M8 and the Samsung ATIV.
  • He's just saying that right now it's only a rumor. The phone may or may not actually be released.
  • Released? It may not even exist!
  • Lg g3 for windows *-*
  • G4 myb not G3 i think...
  • I'm sure the name is the Lg Long W8
  • Windows needs to go beyond exclusives. Launch on every carrier and Microsoft can do the advertising.
  • This^
  • Daniel pointed out recently that the carriers have to WANT Windows Phones. MS (or in this case, LG) has to convince the carriers to buy the phones first. The carriers then sell the phones to us. So, the question is: why would every major carrier want to offer this LG phone? What incentive do they have--especially, if there's no exclusivity?
  • I seriously doubt that! US Carriers are likely going to stop contract plans from this year onwards ...There are rumors that AT&T may be first to discontinue 2 year contract plans from May 2015!!! If that happens mid range phones ($200) will become very popular in USA, since there won't be any discount on flagship phones.Also phones and features are saturated, say, by end of 2015, you will get a nice phone with 1080p 5" inch display, Quad core SoC with LTE, 10 MP rear + 5 MP front camera, 16 + GB onboard storage for $200 or less.What else? Who wants 2 years contract or $700 flagship ?
  • Good. I welcome that change provided they can keep my monthly data plan low enough. The subsidies suck! But this is going to be a huge wake up call to most. People still think 2 year contracts are great. Lol.
  • This is IMO the best hope for WP. Once people see the true cost of their iPhones, they will think twice about spending $2000 for their whole family to get them... or $500 for the whole family to get a low-end WP.
  • You already have a pretty similar option on most of the carriers with the option of 'financing' the device at 0% interest. There isn't a contract per-se, but you do have to pay off the device before you can drop the service. It at least lets you get a higher end device, with a clear understanding of what you pay for it, and what you pay for your service. Once the device is paid off, it really is, and the bill drops by that amount. Didn't used to be that way. You paid the same price even after the contract was complete. That knowledge was the incentive to just get a new phone...and a new contract.
  • Carriers: So what makes WP worth selling?
    Microsoft: Uhh live tiles? I'm not sure if there's anything special left since we gave it all away to other platforms, and soon we will give Android users our entire platform. We also lack app support, but who cares, right?
  • Haha. Sadly too true. WP 8.1.1 is an excellent OS though. So many nice built in features with Cortana, and the live tiles DO make a difference, used right. We'll see about W10fP...
  • At rorr, there is a different method - sell direct - the problems?
    People in the US have gotten so used to subsidized phones and being charged exorbitant monthly fees that they believe that is normal. Secondly, the US has both CDMA and GSM, if it had GSM only it wouldn't be so difficult. Here in the UK, anyone can buy an unlocked phone, stick any sim in it and it will work. As all phones sold here have the relevant bands.
  • Might be difficult with the power I understand the US carriers have. Still, in the rest of the world we have better choice. And more people use a carrier just for carrying - not supplying handsets too.
  • ....Microsoft......Advertising..... Those two words just don't play well along!
  • That looks ugly. Hopefully if they return they will do better than HTC rehash
  • Every post you make is to say something negative about HTC. You've got issues.  
  • No it is ugly. And the last 3 M series flagships from HTC all look the same. Boring. Just like galaxy. No innovation whatsoever..
  • Hey! Take that back about Samsung. The S6 looks like an iPhone this year. That's innovation!
  • ROFL!!
  • No. I got an opinion. Shame you disagree with it. Oh well.
  • Another one❓Where's the original❓
  • They won't be back until they're is a serious upgrade to the WP UI.
  • Yeah, but it has a full background now❗❗❗
  • I believe I have a background now. That in of itself is not enough. Only three different tile sizes? Really? I have to make blank tiles just to take up space in my customization? Really? Is there a guest room yet or are we still half-assing the kid zone thing? Where the volume only goes to 13. Where Windows 10 looks modern WP still looks like the side of the Partridge Family school bus. Lets get with it people. For the most part, you're selling the UI and if isn't going to change then neither will the interest or sales.
  • Well said, well said....
    You do know I was being sarcastic.. Right❓❓❓
  • Grrrrrrr!
  • Lol... I've already reverted bad to 8.1.... It was nice, but entirely to buggy, and unfinished... It was a fun example to play with, but Alpha----No.
    ........
    So, the thing is that I can see where MS is going with 10, and it's full of features, and much more detail than 8.1, but there wasn't ANYTHING to keep me playing around with the preview.. Unlike W10, the DP for 8.1 was buggy, but it was worth having because it had so much to offer.... There's just nothing substantially new in the TP........
    .............
    So, with that said, Joe better have something really new, and exciting, for us at build... I'm expecting that we might get a DP soon after Build❓❓❓ IDK, but it's mind boggling how polished, and functioning, W10TP for PC is, and the WP version is next to bricking someone's device..
  • The thing I miss most from W10tp on my 830 is messaging from notification. That and the new messaging app was sick. Except I'd rather have square contact pics instead of circle.
  • I have to agree... The new messaging app is seriously eye candy.. That cool send button❗❗ The circles are stupid... Also, the message box to the right (your messages) is way too dark. It's hard to see what you sent someone....
    ......
    I miss the messaging app, that awesome dialer, the calculator, the design of outlook is super clean, very nice, and the settings menu... Very cool.... The Dialer, settings menus, and messaging app, are all very similar in desing. That's the direction I hope the whole OS goes...
    ...........
    CORTANA, IN IT'S CURRENT STATE, IS TRASH❗(TP)
  • Why are you always doing this fancy formatting? :D
  • IDK... Used to it... I do it everywhere.. Texting, FB, Instagram, Emails...
    ..........
    Everyone hates me.... Lol
  • Yes, yes we do
  • Hmmmm.... That's probably because Microsoft is putting almost all their resources on the development of Windows 10 TP for PC. Windows 10 for phones, of course, is a secondary or tertiary thing to them. Sad truth :(
  • Well, if only it was simple as squashing the desktop O/S into a candy bar (phone) form factor :P.
  • That woud be a tremendous job! Even if the battery would die like in an hour, lol! BTW, Android phones can run Windows 98/XP/7 on an emulator (watched on YouTube), not to mention it was laggy as expected.
  • Shouldn't be hard at all.. The OS was made to automatically scale for different resolutions, and the rest is pure aesthetics.... I don't believe it has anything to do with engineering struggles......
    Prioritization, yes.
  • Speaking of resolution, I think it can fit well enough on a 6" or bigger device like the 1520 or 1320. But using it on a small display might be a nightmare :P
  • You mean the desktop version❓
  • Exactly!! :P
  • Wow! I think that would be a huge differentiator, and then WP devices would be the only ones that don't need a remote desktop app... MS should offer a desktop mode in WP10..
  • Sad truth.. Lol.