To be honest, I wasn't surprised to hear that its durability is already coming into question.
Russell Holly writes that his brown leather version has scuffed badly due to an encounter with a concrete patio (full article HERE).
Of course it's no wonder that the LG G4's leather back is subject to wear and tear: Most of us with leather goods such as wallets, shoes, bags and jackets know just how prone these items are to damage. But on something as regularly used and handled as a smartphone, everyday wear is going to become apparent much more quickly.
Mr Holly makes a very good point in his article that investing in some leather care products will be a must if you are the proud owner of a leather G4. Some users are using a protective case, but I suspect that with something as lovely to look at as a genuine leather-backed smartphone, a case detracts from the effect far too much.
I love the LG G4 for two reasons:
1) The fact that this is a very capable, top of the range smartphone which hasn't been tagged with an over the top price tag, unlike Samsung, HTC and Apple phones.
2) This is the first smartphone for years where someone has really thought about the design aesthetics for a change, rather than just attempting to make the front look a bit prettier and slapping a glass or metal body onto it. The LG G4 is unique, and I like that a lot.
This isn't the first time a phone manufacturer has chosen to use alternative materials in their designs. Motorola did well to incorporate wood and bamboo backs in their Moto Maker designs for the Moto X. This move was emulated by some other manufacturers, but invariably failed due to issues with wood and bamboo not really making the most climate-adaptive materials (Motorola also discovered this at a later date).
The first and only non-conventional backed mobile I've owned was the Nokia 7200. This was Nokia's first clamshell design and featured upholstered front and rear covers.
The Nokia 7200: This wasn't the greatest mobile I've owned, but it was the most unique.
Early reviews stated that the fabric covers began to wear thin and become grubby quite quickly, even from being carried around in people's pockets. Nokia must have predicted this, as this phone was sold with a matching soft carry pouch.
I didn't have any problems with the covers getting worn or dirty, mainly because the covers were swappable and I bought a range of plastic front and rear covers from eBay. I kept the fabric covers for "best" as it was a fashion phone, after all!
So are less durable materials a problem for customers? Not if you buy your phone from Vertu: Their customers aren't as likely to use their phones to open a bottle of beer or hammer a nail in, and can probably afford to buy a new handset every time their crocodile or ostrich-skinned phone takes a beating.
But, for many people, durability is something that they expect from their phones, and it's a big ask to expect a lovely looking leather backed phone to look great for the duration of a two year phone contract.
Given that most phones these days look rather dull, I opt for a protective case that has some sort of personality - Anything for some sort of design, colour or individuality.
My advice is, if you want to stand out from the crowd and get a leather backed LG G4, be prepared to mollycoddle it.
