If recent speculation is to be believed, the LG G7 will never be released. But before you get upset, know this: LG could just release it under another name.

According to a conversation between The Investor and an unnamed LG executive, the company’s next flagship is set to launch in the first half of 2018, following the pattern set by years past. But here’s where things get murky.

This person is on-record saying that a rebranding or prepping of a new device with a name that has “…a two-digit number” are viable options at this point.

When pressed about the potential rebranding of its most popular and globally-known line of phones, the G series, this LG employee stated that this kind of move is “…nothing new, and Samsung and Apple have done so for their own flagships.”

Does the G series need to be rebranded?

LG is in an interesting position when it comes to its smartphones. While 2017’s LG G6 is certainly a good product measured by several metrics, it didn’t leave the best taste in the mouths of flagship thrill-chasers.

Why? First off, it featured the Snapdragon 821 during the eve of the Snapdragon 835 launching in the Samsung Galaxy S8. Then, it splintered its feature set in the regions where it launched, giving some a Quad DAC, but no wireless charging, and vice versa.

Adding insult to injury, the more budget-friendly LG Q6 that launched in late 2017 adopted a design that’s practically indistinguishable from the LG G6, which further dilutes the impact of its flagship line.

In those ways, one could say that it’s in the midst of an identity crisis for the G series. But even so, looking at the LG V30 says that there’s still plenty of potential for the company.

When it launched, it sported one of the most cohesive takes on the bezel-reduced, thin-as-a-pin designs that we’d seen in 2017. It’s feature-packed and current with trends, but still uniquely LG’s own.

Where will LG take the G series? It’s hard to tell right now. The V30 deserves the accolades, but has admittedly stolen a lot of the G series’ thunder. How LG moves forward from here with two competing branches in its proverbial flagship tree is anyone’s guess. But from our perspective, that seems like a good position to be in.

Source: techradar.com