The LG G8 has been hobbled by a battery problem that could limit its lifespan, according to a fresh tear down.
UPDATE LG has responded to the claims in this story with the following statement: LG smartphone batteries are designed to best meet the usage and reliability needs of each individual LG device. They should only be removed and replaced by certified service personnel, who are properly trained in the process.
It turns out that the LG G8’s 3500mAh battery is sealed in with permanent adhesive, making it dangerous to physically replace yourself. JerryRigEverything discovered the flaw in his recent tear-down video of the new device, which was published this week:
The popular YouTuber strongly argues that this is a flaw because it means you cannot safely repair the phone yourself: the strong adhesive means the battery will bend during removal, which runs the risk of crushing the anode and cathode layers together and possibly causing a short, sparks, or even an explosion. The flaw, amounting to nothing less than planned obsolescence, means that users can’t save money — or the environment — by extending the lifespan of their smartphone, according to JerryRigEverything.
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While most smartphones today have sealed-in and glued-down batteries, they at least use pull-tags or gentle adhesives that can be bypassed by DIY fans keen to extend their battery beyond one lifecycle. It seems almost quaint to remember now, but until recently many phones (including LG’s own V20) had removable batteries that were very simple to replace. Now, however, there has been a decisive shift towards glued-down components, and strong adhesive could be the next stage in this process.
In out LG G8 review, we were impressed by the phone’s general performance and top notch audio quality, but were disappointed by camera quality and the general blandness. The only feature making it stand out was HandID — and let’s face it, scanning the veins of your hand to unlock isn’t exactly a feature we’ve all been crying out for. The problematic issue of battery replacement hardly encourages us to raise the 3-star rating for this middle-of-the-road flagship.
Do you change your smartphone battery manually to extend its lifespan? Let us know on Twitter: @TrustedReviews
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
