Don’t wait on the Pixel 4a, the Pixel 4 is $350 off right now!

Even though LG sent a “digital unveiling invitation” with a May 7 date for its next big smartphone a couple of weeks ago, the company went ahead and revealed pretty much everything about the eye-catching Velvet anyway just a few days later.

Keep your expectations… high in terms of Western pricing

Good but not great specs equal good but not great value

Meanwhile, we’ll obviously have to wait and see how the 48 + 8 + 5MP triple rear-facing camera system on the back of the Velvet behaves in real life, but at least on paper, that also looks less impressive than the V60’s own triple lens setup including a 64MP primary shooter and a 13MP ultrawide sensor.

It’s also hard to get excited about the 4,300mAh battery under the Velvet’s hood when the V60 packs a 5,000mAh cell, although the new guy is significantly thinner and lighter as a direct result, at 7.9mm and 180 grams respectively. Because the Snapdragon 765 processor is pretty frugal, the actual battery life could be quite remarkable, which still doesn’t fully justify the aforementioned $735 price tag.

For what it’s worth, LG and Korea’s leading wireless service providers are joining forces on a number of launch promotions, most notably offering a discount of up to 50 percent on your next handset purchase if you can return your Velvet in good working condition after 24 months. Something like that would definitely sweeten the deal in the US as well, but these types of promos don’t always cross borders easily.