LG V20 Keyboard Swype and Language Questions

[DiBosco]

Folks,

Would like to replace my Note 3 and the V20 looks to be the only possible option. It's not officially available in the UK but you can get import versions. I can't just pop into a shop to ask questions about to so I have three:

1. Is the swipe style text entry option available that's on the Note 3? Where you just swipe across the keys without lifting your fingers from the screen.

2. Do numbers appear on the keypad at the same time as letters as on the Note 3? I hate having to press a button to toggle between letters and numbers!

3. Does anyone know whether you can choose a British English language option? Aussie/NZ might do at a push.

Many thanks!

 

[mikedt]

Where's the import coming from? Like if you're planning on buying it cheap online from China, no English UK might be the least of the problems with it, like no Google Play etc, and you don't want to end-up with a China Telecom version or something in the UK.

Also the LG warranty is NOT international, so if there's any problems with it that requires service, you'll have to ship it back at your expense.

 

[DiBosco]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LG-V20-H9...7?hash=item41b6d5bb5f:g:r40AAOSwHMJYF~Nm#rwid

I have written to them to ask about what language it comes with. I assume English as it's being shipped to UK and someone else wrote a review about it in English, but I am checking. It is unlocked for sure.

 

[DiBosco]

There's also this that specifically says it's in English!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LG-V20-H9...86f1c0&pid=100167&rk=3&rkt=15&sd=282240334687

 

[mikedt]

Gray imports.... That's a dual-SIM version intended for sale and use in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Which means it may not have all the required 4G LTE bands for use in the UK, like Vodafone will likely be 3G only service with it. And any problems that require warranty service, LG Service won't touch it unless you're in Hong Kong or Taiwan, so it would be down to whatever the Ebay vendor can provide. English UK won't be a problem with it however, also all phones in Asia are definitely unlocked.

 

[DiBosco]

Which one? Or both of them? They're all going to be grey imports to the UK.

 

[mikedt]

All of them I think, any V20. I don't think this phone is officially distributed in Europe. AFAICT it's Asia and North America only at the moment. Which basically means LG Service UK can't and won't honor the warranty AFAICT. And it could be very well locked out from any Android updates.

Those Ebay inports, states the vendors are in Dublin or Huddersfield, but the phones themselves are very likely shipped from Hong Kong. ...and BTW I'm in China.

BTW contact details for the Ebay V20 that's supposedly in Huddersfield, Yorkshire.

Spoiler

John R
South Tower, World Finance Centre, Harbour City
17 Canton Road
default Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Hong Kong

The keyboard and it working in British English, won't be a problem at all.

 

[DiBosco]

Yes, I'm aware the phone is not being released in Europe at all. I am well aware that LG would then not support the phone if it went wrong. I am also aware that the phones are being shipped form overseas. I had worked out you're in China too!

I've owned an original HTC Desire a Sammy S3 and Sammy Note 3 and none of them have given me any issue at all in terms of reliability. (In fact the Desire and S3 are both going strong after giving them away to friends/family...even the original Desire!). Yes it's possible things could go wrong, but it's a gamble I'm probably willing to take as long as the phone works as well as my Note 3.

It's either that or get a crappy Stylus 2, relatively small screened G5 or a phone with a non-removable battery and that just makes even less sense than buying a phone with no guarantee. Why the **** LG aren't releasing this over here is beyond me and beyond stupid.

 

[mikedt]

OK, you're pretty savvy on it then. It's just that we do get a lot of posts on here, things like, HELP!!! I bought this HTC from Ebay, can't make it work on AT&T or something, and when I turn it on it states "China Telecom"....OK!

Where LG decides to market particular phones is beyond me as well. And to be perfectly honest I thought the V20 would be available in Europe.

BTW my brief venture with Samsung was only a few short weeks...Note7.

 

[DiBosco]

Reasonably savvy, but still ignorant about keypad and language on the device!

Commiserations on the Note 7. I was half thinking about getting one, but the non-removable battery was putting me off. I find it bizarre that the manufacturers think it's more important to be able to dunk a piece of electronics in a cup of tea than it is to change its power source.

Strike that, no I don't. It's nothing to do with that really, it's to do with ensuring when a consumable such as a battery dies you're forced to buy a new phone. It's cynical (on the part of the manufacturers) and it's despicable.

 

[mikedt]

Reasonably savvy, but still ignorant about keypad and language on the device!

Commiserations on the Note 7. I was half thinking about getting one, but the non-removable battery was putting me off. I find it bizarre that the manufacturers think it's more important to be able to dunk a piece of electronics in a cup of tea than it is to change its power source.

Strike that, no I don't. It's nothing to do with that really, it's to do with ensuring when a consumable such as a battery dies you're forced to buy a new phone. It's cynical (on the part of the manufacturers) and it's despicable.

Well yeh, I've never actually used an LG, and so not familiar with LG stock keyboards. First thing I do with any phone, including the Note7, I install Swiftkey (English UK & Chinese PRC), and that's it, done!

FYI https://swiftkey.com/en

Language on a phone from Hong Kong won't be a problem, and will support British English. It's mainland PRC version devices, where might have problems in that area.

The sealed battery hasn't really been a problem for me, but then on average I might keep using a phone for about a year. And even if a sealed battery did need replacing, in China that's not a problem. Plenty of competent phone techs in the neighbourhood. 10-20 minute wait usually. If I was in the UK, I think I wouldn't be so happy about it.

Note7 was recalled, so I'm using Oppo R9 Plus. which I'm very happy with.

 

[DiBosco]

OK, that's great, thanks. It's interesting your take on getting a sealed battery changed. I keep mine minimum of three years and as I said others use them for a lot more than that! The Note 3 battery I have recently replaced it was just getting tired. I have a friend here who needed to change a Nexus battery and it was quite a palava!

Many thanks again for all the info, I think I'm going to go for this LG device, all the reviews I've read are very complimentary about it. And the things they say are negatives I just think "so what?!".