LG makes smartphone with a leather finish

LG is making smartphones with leather backs as it seeks to distinguish its phones from Apple’s iPhones and Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones.

The message at Tuesday’s announcement of the new G4: We’re not like the others.

Apple and Samsung dominate the smartphone market, with LG and other companies vying for third place with market shares of less than 5 percent each.

The G4 phones will have a choice of leather finishes, crafted for a better grip. By contrast, Apple and HTC use metal and Samsung uses glass. LG made a dig at Samsung, without naming it, by pointing out that glass can be marred with fingerprints.

LG also boasts a better camera with manual controls typically limited to full-bodied SLR cameras.

LG Electronics Inc. didn’t immediately announce prices or release dates.

This story was originally published April 28, 2015 at 12:37 PM with the headline "LG makes smartphone with a leather finish."