New Tracfone LG Classic Flip L125DL Quick Review

[Lisme]

I have had this phone for a week now. I have not been able to find a way to download the app store or any aps for that matter.
Since I never planned to use it for anything other than to make calls that by itself doesn't bother me. However there is no built in way to check your remaining time or add more time. THAT bothers me.

I believe the 611611 text system will be your friend.

[shad72]

I believe the 611611 text system will be your friend.

I think you will find this phone to be popular with seniors. It is inexpensive (at suggested retail, 40% lower than a Jitterbug phone) and far less expensive to use with Tracfone. However texting is cumbersome and for many srs. next to impossible because of vision problems. Personally I can read the screen only by using a magnifier glass. Holding that in one hand while typing with the other? forget about it. (right now on a PC, the fonts are large and I still use the magnifier, I'm legally blind)
The 3 previous LG flip Phones I had all would show time remaining when they were first turned on and a software update to add that feature to this phone would be appreciated by me and I'm sure would help future sales.

[SemiNewbie]

Is the Google Maps app on this phone? If not, is there any way to get it? I like to check traffic conditions before I go to work.

[indyrunr89]

Can someone post about the loud speaker? When on a call is it average volume or loud n clear? For reference, I pretty much have to use all the Moto smartphones because they have the best loud n clear front facing speakers (E5, G6, etc.) I gave up on Sammys and LGs as they are too low.

[loboheeler]

The 3 previous LG flip Phones I had all would show time remaining when they were first turned on and a software update to add that feature to this phone would be appreciated by me and I'm sure would help future sales.

The old "single bucket" feature phones kept track of the "Units" internally, but that was changed to server tracking with the 3 bucket system. I guess there could be an app to act like the Android My Account app, but would have to be written specially for whichever OS was being used. The MyFlip and Classic Flip each use a a different OS.

[larryoham12]

Can someone post about the loud speaker? When on a call is it average volume or loud n clear? For reference, I pretty much have to use all the Moto smartphones because they have the best loud n clear front facing speakers (E5, G6, etc.) I gave up on Sammys and LGs as they are too low.

The speaker is a bit tinny.. not much bass if you listen to music. It is adequate for phone calls. Much better quality when you use earphones.

[larryoham12]

Is the Google Maps app on this phone? If not, is there any way to get it? I like to check traffic conditions before I go to work.

No and no.

[StymiedToo]

How does the size seem, it looks long? Going by the specs it's about a half inch longer & almost a half inch wider than my old Motorola flip phone.

[indyrunr89]

The speaker is a bit tinny.. not much bass if you listen to music. It is adequate for phone calls. Much better quality when you use earphones.

Thank you!

[RavensRebel]

Got the Classic Flip yesterday and set it up. Just activated it today. Here is my assessment of the stand out likes and dislikes:

Like:
Button layout: It has the camera and speaker buttons on the dial pad instead of on the side. My father is lost with no picture cues to remind him. He could never remember how to activate the camera or speaker on flip phones that have the buttons on the side. Not to mention removing buttons from the side means no more accidental activation of camera, which even I would do all the time.

SOS button on the back is a fantastic feature. Press it three times and it will call your predetermined emergency number and also send a text saying SOS with a link to your GPS location on google maps. I don't even have Location service activated on my phone but it must automatically activate it to sent out the SOS. It's like your own medical alert button. Or this would also be great for women who travel in Uber or Lyft at night.

Block calls. Love that I can block calls from annoying spam. Yippee!

Call Clarity. Handset is loud and clear. With full volume almost as loud as the speakerphone. Sound is a tad tinny. The speaker could be a little louder for my taste but it's fine.

Text Message. New message displays on the screen when you open the phone. No having to access it through a button press like on MyFlip.

Power Off. Long press the power button and the turns off. No having to press another button to confirm power off like on MyFlip

Contact Avatars. Displays avatars of your contacts on incoming/outgoing calls. I don't think MyFlip did that but I can't recall for sure.

What I don't like:
Construction. The phone itself has a cheap plastic feel to it. And it's very slick; no silicone for grip. I foresee a lot of phones crashing to the floor slipping out of elderly hands. It needs a silicone case like the one I had for the MyFlip. I'm going to be on the lookout for one on eBay.

Contacts. Doesn't automatically import contacts. I really like that feature on the myflip. You could connect to your Google Contacts and it would automatically import them. This one, I had to connect the phone to my computer so I could copy the contacts vcf file from another device. Once I had the vcf file on the LG, I imported it into my contacts no problem.

Wallpaper. Stock wallpapers suck. I copied a few over. Not a big deal.

Display is not quite as sharp as I would like it to be.

Speakerphone. Not that it is low but I think it should be a tad louder. The speaker on the MyFlip was a bit louder.

Close phone ends call. No option to turn this off. So you have to keep phone open even on speaker.

Apps. No apps available. This isn't a bad thing for me, as I only use my flip phone to talk. I have my smartphone for apps.


Verdict: Winner, winner chicken dinner! This LG is great. Forget the MyFlip and order the LG. I couldn't order one fast enough for my father after I tested it out. It is super Senior friendly. I am switching my father over to the LG from his Gusto 3 as soon as it comes in. I wasn't going to switch him to the MyFlip until the last minute but the LG is game time ready right now. Grrr... Shame the LG didn't come out sooner. I wish I hadn't wasted $60 on getting three MyFlips. But at the time, they were pretty much the only flip game in town. Whelp, LG has relegated MyFlips to drawer purgatory status.

By the by, I haven't had the phone long enough to test the battery life out. I'll report back how long it lasts on standby. I'm also keeping data on. I'll keep and eye on it to see how much it uses.

[Boz1]

Thanks for the thorough review, RavensRebel! It's really too bad the LG Classic Flip L125DL doesn't sync contacts like the MyFlip does. That seems like a big oversight to me. But otherwise it sounds good.

[mo832]

A little side-question: I see many posts claiming it works with PP and also AT&T. But if you buy it from Tracfone, is it unlocked? Or is there something you need to do to get it to work with other providers than Tracfone?

[Boz1]

A little side-question: I see many posts claiming it works with PP and also AT&T. But if you buy it from Tracfone, is it unlocked? Or is there something you need to do to get it to work with other providers than Tracfone?

It should work with the AT&T network, but only via TF or related companies like ST or Net10, and with the correct SIM card. It's unlikely that it would work on AT&T directly, but it would sure be a nice surprise if it was.

[rpz1]

A little side-question: I see many posts claiming it works with PP and also AT&T. But if you buy it from Tracfone, is it unlocked? Or is there something you need to do to get it to work with other providers than Tracfone?

As Boz said for ATT. Assuming enough usable bands are there. The Verizon LG Exalt that this seems to be a clone of didn't have many bands.
And for PP I see no reason you can't activate it right out of the box with the sim it comes with on PP like the MyFlip. (assume it comes with the TF/Vzw sim like the MyFlip.) Any TF/Vzw phone (or sister company/vzw) can activate with it's native sim on PP. PP is Tracfone.
Edit: Just saw @RavensRebel activated on PP; I assume with the sim that came in it (?)

Also, maybe someone that has one can also confirm if it's cdma-less like the MyFlip, and any idea of bands. Nothing I can find online. MyFlip has 2, 4, 5, 12, 13, 66 I believe.

Seems like the Verizon LG Exalt LTE/Wine but more plastic and hopefully with more bands then the Exalt had.

[Tracfancier]

It is one of the newer DL models. Tracfone thus buys one phone that can be used for all their sister Companies... AT&T. T-Mobile, and Verizon. The phone is unlocked for use with any Tracfone sister company but locked for use outside the Tracfone family of companies.
Ask if you have not already read here how to change it around between Verizon- AT&T- T-mobile. Best to ask before activating it.