LG is reportedly splitting the Stylo lineup to make room for a 5G variant

LG wants to snag more Samsung Galaxy Note fans who are being priced out of stylus support.

What you need to know

• LG is reportedly bringing 5G down to the Stylo line.
• The company is retaining the 3.5mm headphone jack and a built-in stylus.
• The phone will feature a triple-camera system and a side fingerprint sensor.

According to a leak first discovered and posted by Steve Hemmerstoffer at Voice, the next devices in the LG Stylo line have leaked, showing some familiar features, some usability and design improvements, and the likely inclusion of 5G on at least one of the phones.

Hemmerstoffer claims that the new devices, known as the LG Stylo 7 5G and LG Stylo 7, will feature a 6.8-inch edge-to-edge display, with a hole punch replacing the teardrop selfie camera. The camera housing on the back is no longer flat like on the Stylo 6, and it is orientated vertically instead of horizontally. Additionally, the fingerprint sensor has moved from the rear to the side.

The leaked render shows off a solid black color, and it is not clear if we will see more vibrant versions like White Pearl version on the Stylo 6 that appeared to change color at different angles and in different lighting conditions. It does appear that the Stylo 7 will retain the two most important and most beloved features in the line — the built-in stylus and the 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Stylo brand began as a low-priced counter to the more premium and more expensive Samsung Galaxy Note lineup, but recent versions such as the Stylo 5 and Stylo 6 have stepped up the look and feel of the device while retaining features that its customers loved from early versions.

It appears that the Samsung Galaxy Note line will die off in 2021. While other Galaxy phones will reportedly have S Pen support to keep them firmly planted among the best Android phones available, the days of the built-in stylus phablets from Samsung appear to be over. For those who want that experience at a more affordable price point, there remains the Stylo lineup, as well as the Moto G Stylus.

We don’t have word on pricing or availability for the LG Stylo 7 5G just yet, but we expect to hear more in the coming weeks.

Stylo Points

LG Stylo 6

$297 at Amazon
$300 at Best Buy
$159 at Walmart

Almost the perfect budget phone

The LG Stylo 6 features a large, beautiful display, solid construction, a massive battery, and tons of memory expandability, as well as its trademark built-in stylus. But software performance and hiccups, along with a lackluster camera, keep it from being a real steal. It is currently only available through carriers, but an unlocked version will be coming later in 2020.