The LG G Flex is powerful and rather large smartphone that comes with a curved and flexible display. It is an intuitive device featuring a quad-core 2.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset that adds speed to its performance. The handset, which Amóvil reviewed thanks to a loan by the Vodafone Spain Foundation, also includes a few accessibility features that renders it suitable for people with visual and hearing impairments. However, users with dexterity disabilities and poor comprehension skills may have a limited experience.

The device uses Android 4.2.2 and features a 6-inch Plastic OLED display with a resolution of 720x1280 pixels (245 ppi). It measures 160.5 x 81.6 x 8.7 mm and weighs 177 grams. In addition, it comes equipped with a 13MP rear-side camera with autofocus and LED flash, and a front-side 2.1 MP camera for videocalls. Regarding connectivity, the G Flex supports Bluetooth, NFC, WiFi and infrareds, and it is compatible with 4G data network.

Accessibility review

Vision

The G Flex is suitable for blind users but may include some limitations. The screen reader worked satisfactorily during the testing. However, we observed it had problems detecting text and images in some native apps such as the calendar due to improper labeling.

Another problem noted that may affect blind users is that both the power and the volume buttons are located at the back of the device. Although these buttons are tactilely discernible, their unusual location may make it difficult for these users to readily know their purpose.

Users with low vision, on the other hand, may able to enjoy this phone to its fullest. The large and crisp display may enable them to see and interact with its content with comfort. They will also be able to change the size and type of fonts, as well as to reverse foreground and background colors to improve visibility. The handset also includes an inbuilt screen magnifier.

Hearing

The G Flex is suitable to people with hearing disabilities. It has a Hearing Aid Compatibility rating of M3 and T3, and supports both instant messaging and videocalls.

Dexterity

People with dexterity disabilities may have a limited experience with this device. It includes a voice recognition feature that doesn’t work as expected. Users with severe dexterity disabilities may not be able to use this handset at all.

As previously mentioned, the G Flex’s power and volume buttons are located at the back of the device which can cause problems to these users. Some may not be able to increase or lower the volume during a phone call. Additionally, the curved nature of this handset makes it difficult to these users to plug or unplug connection cables.

Comprehension

Amóvil cannot recommend this device to people with cognitive disabilities or limited comprehension skills. While the phonebook and home menus can be customized to meet the needs of users, some icons and symbols included do not comply with accessibility standards. In fact, the style of the symbols printed on the volume control button previously mention does not conform to some international standards. Its location may also represent a barrier to these users.

For more details about accessibility features included in the LG G Flex, please see the full accessibility report available in Amóvil.