Skip to main content

LG introduces cleverly named LG Pay in Korea, but only on the G6 for now

lg pay debut 640 1
They may be useful, but payment services from mobile device makers aren’t all that creative in their nomenclature. Take, for example, the latest tool to enter the increasingly crowded payments space. It’s from LG Electronics, and it’s called — you guessed it — LG Pay. Announced on Friday, LG Pay will depend on Wireless Magnetic Communication technology, and allows customers to make payments by tapping their LG devices to NFC-enabled payment ports.

LG’s biggest domestic rival, Samsung, debuted its own payment tool in the summer of 2015, and has been making its way around the world ever since (here’s everything you need to know about Samsung Pay). LG, however, is still in its more nascent development stages. At launch, LG Pay will be available by way of four credit cards — Shinhan, KB, BC, and Lotte. But the company notes that by the end of September, all major credit cards (in Korea, that is) ought to be supported.

The rollout is also being limited to just one phone, for the time being. If you’re an owner of the LG G6, you can access LG Pay once you update your software to the latest version. Again, moving forward, LG plans to make the feature more widely available.

To ensure users’ security, LG will require smartphone owners to scan their fingerprints each and every time they want to make a payment, which the company hopes will establish a new standard for mobile payments.

According to a Korean press release, Kim Hong-joo, executive director of the MC Product Planning Group at LG Electronics, said “We will provide customers with safe and convenient next-generation mobile payment standards with LG Pay, which enables customers to easily and quickly settle their smartphones anywhere.”

So look out, Samsung and Apple Pay, the latest payment tool is here. It may not be giving you a run for your money yet, but you never know what the future may hold.
Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
I record interviews for work. These are my favorite free recorder apps
The iPhone 14 Pro and Google Pixel 7 Pro's voice recording apps running together.

The Voice Recorder app on a phone (left) and the Voice Memos on another phone Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Before you head to the app store on your phone to buy a voice-recording app, take a moment to consider the apps that may already be installed on your phone. Why? In my experience, they're likely all you really need. I’ve recorded interviews and voice-overs for work for years, and I’ve found the two best examples come preinstalled on your phone already, so they’re entirely free to use.

Read more
The best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 cases: 10 best ones so far
Two Galaxy Z Fold 5 phones next to each other -- one is open and one is closed.

Samsung’s next-generation foldable is here with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. This iteration has some notable improvements, including a new hinge design that eliminates the gap from previous generations when the device was folded. You also get a 6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display on the outside while having a 6.7-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display on the inside, with both screens having a 120Hz refresh rate. In other words, they're about as nice as you could ask for.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is made with premium materials, and the triple-lens camera system packs in a 50MP main shooter, 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide lens. There’s a 10MP selfie camera on the front cover, and a 4MP camera on the inner display. You also get a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip inside for the best performance and power efficiency.

Read more
Google Pixel Tablet just got its first big discount and it’s worth a look
Google Pixel Tablet on its charging dock.

Tablets are a dime-a-dozen these days, with offerings from all the great brands including Apple, Samsung, Lenovo, and more. So, if you really want to stand out in a sea of similar tech, you need to do things a little differently. That's what Google's Pixel Tablet offers. How? It comes with a unique speaker dock that can be used to both charge the device and offer room-filling sound -- almost like a smart speaker add-on. Better yet, when your Pixel Tablet is docked it benefits from the Hub Mode, turning the device into a smart display, with digital photo frame support, smart home controls, and hands-free Google functionality. Of course, it could set you back at full price, normally $499 unless you find it included in a roundup of the best Google Pixel deals. Well, guess what? Thanks to a Best Buy Google Pixel Tablet deal, you can get it today for $439 and save $60. Hurry, though, it's part of Best Buy's recent 48-hour sale so it won't stick around for long.

Why you should buy the Google Pixel Tablet
Okay, okay, so in our Google Pixel Tablet review, Joe Maring did give it less than stellar remarks, but he called out its reliable fingerprint sensor, comfortability during use and excellent speaker dock. Honestly, how many tablets come with a matching speaker dock that transforms the entire experience? This tablet also marks a "lot of firsts" for Google, as it's the first tablet from the company in nearly five years, the first Android tablet in eight years, and can be converted into a smart home display with the speaker dock. All of which are notable milestones.

Read more