The LG V30 just got released in Berlin at the IFA conference. Just as the rumors stated, it comes with 18:9 full screen Full Vision display that is made of P-OLED glass, a first for the V series. The move to OLED will lead to deeper blacks and more vibrant colors like those seen on its Samsung Galaxy counterparts. Speaking of Galaxy, the V30 comes with a 6.0 inch screen that is right in the middle of the Galaxy S8 and the S8+ in size. In addition, HDR 10 and the superior Dolby Vision are built in as well.
Revamped camera
Despite the big advancement on the display, LG V30 camera is the company’s crown jewel. The rear dual camera comes with 16MP standard camera plus a 13MP wide angle one. The 16MP has an f/1.6 aperture size which is the biggest size ever on a smartphone; we reckon it will have great low light photos. The 13MP has a f/1.9 aperture size -which is also the biggest wide angle phone camera aperture size to date. The angle stretches up to 120 degrees to accommodate an entire scene. A glass lens was used instead of a traditional plastic one to increase clarity of the images produced. The selfie camera is 5MP sensor with 90 degrees wide angle of view. Some of the new features and modes of this camera setup include
- Two-thirds less distortion on wide angle photos
- New Cine Video mode brings Cine Effect and Point Zoom. Cine Effect provides a palette of 15 presets to give videos a unique movie-like look, from romantic comedy, summer blockbuster, mystery, thriller and classic movie, among others. Point Zoom allows users to zoom at a specific part of the frame, (other phones only zoom in the center of the frame)
- Graphy website or app lets you select professional images and apply the same presets such as white balance, shutter speed, aperture and ISO to photos taken with the V30
High grade audio
On the audio department, the V30 will produce top notch audio thanks to Quad DACs (audio enhancers) that have been tuned by B&O play. A premium pair of B&O earphones will be packaged in the box of every device. Moreover, the V30 continues its world first list by introducing MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) technology that captures the sound of the original studio master and folds it into a small file to make high-resolution audio easy to stream. For those that love to record video in loud concerts, V30 has you covered with a receiver that doubles as a microphone to capture a broader sound spectrum, from gentle chimes to thunderous drums.
Second screen re-imagined
Now that the V30 uses an OLED display, the features of the V series second screen have been built into the Always on Display (AOD) feature. You can swipe the AOD to access multiple screens of shortcut toggles such as flashlight just like you did on the second screen. When the phone is unlocked, these features migrate to the Floating Bar. Speaking of unlocking, apart from using the fingerprint sensor, you can now open the device via face unlock or voice unlock.
Military grade rating on durability
The last signature of the V series was durability. The new design of the V30 comes with a curved glass on both front and back panels that are held together by a beautiful shiny metallic frame. Do not let the glass fool you, the V30 has been subjected to several drop tests and has been found to meet U.S. Department of Defense requirements for durability, having passed 14 categories of the MIL-STD 810G Transit Drop Test making it compliant for military operations. Yes, this phone is tough enough for military use, so you can rest assured of its super durability. Water and dust resistance have also been brought on-board thanks to IP68 rating.
Other specs
The rest of the specifications keep up the high end nature of the device, they include the mighty Snapdragon 835,4GB RAM, 64GB internal storage with the V30+ getting 128GB for limited markets. The battery has been capped at 3300Ah, but for the first time in V series history, it will be non-removable due to the glass construction. That battery size is quite an achievement when you consider the slim 7.3mm thin waist line. As a consolation, there will be wireless and fast charging built in. The phone will run on LG UX on top of android 7.1.2; the Oreo update will be coming soon. LG’s home country South Korea will be the first to get the V30 on September 21st, it will be available in four colors namely Aurora Black, Cloud Silver, Moroccan Blue and Lavender Violet. The price is yet to be announced.