5 Questions about the LG G Flex from Captain Obvious

LG’s curved smartphone, the G Flex, will come to India in February next year. Despite the ludicrously high price tag, it brings a couple of nifty features with the flexible curved display being the most noticeable one. But even the back of the G Flex has the cool quotient thanks to a self-healing film that recovers from minute scratches within minutes. With so many tricks up its sleeve, Captain Obvious felt it was time to ask some, well, obvious questions. Here they are.

Does it flex both ways?

No, even though you can bend the LG Flex to a certain extent, it does not flex every which way. This is simply not possible because of the solid internal frame. But you can keep the G Flex face down and put pressure to see the body flatten and snap back up when you release your hold. While this is a neat party trick, trying it the other way might just end the night.

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Any curved screen guards and cases?

Naturally, because of the curved display, a regular screen guard will not be enough for the G Flex. The curved OLED display uses a platic or polymer substrate instead of the traditional glass. So there’s no Gorilla Glass to toughen up the display. In this situation a screen guard may be the order of the day. A quick Google search sprouted a couple of options specifically designed for the phone by XtremeGuard and Clear Coat.

Unless LG announces some official carry pouches or cases for the G Flex, you are out of options at the moment. We couldn’t find a single case that was meant for this specific smartphone, but then the self-healing back should cover you for minor scratches.

Will photos taken on the Flex be curved?

Might sound stupid, but we expect this question to be asked several times. The pictures taken will look curved on the phone, but not outside it. The only way the G Flex can shoot a curved picture is in a Photo Sphere.

Will the self-healing back last forever?

We’ve heard that the self-healing back works best in warmer conditions and scratches heal fastest when some heat is applied to the back. Given this, it seems like the coating has a limited shelf-life and could end up ‘using itself’ for even the most minute scratches in your pocket in the sweltering Indian summers. The coating actually ends at the top and bottom edges of the back, which leaves a small chance of the back getting scratches that won't heal.

Is there a curved battery inside?

You might not believe it, but LG Chem has managed to produce a curved battery that fits snugly inside the bendy back. Otherwise we would have a tiny non-curved battery pack for a hulking phone. So there’s a 3500 mAh battery unit inside that should ideally deliver day-long battery life.