LG has streamed the LG V30 launch event live on Facebook from Berlin at IFA 2017. After the launch of the first device in the V series by LG in 2015, with the V10, each device in the V series has become more and more premium. With the launch of the newest device, the V30, the earlier released flagship, the G6, has been superseded by some very premium features.
While the camera and fingerprint placement remain mostly the same as the V20, there a quite a few design changes here that make it stand out as way more than just a series update, such as the iPhone 6s to the iPhone 7.
V30 Body
The V30 introduces a fantastic looking 18:9 6-inch P-OLED display, which is a big change from the IPS screen found in the handset’s predecessor. The display is an edge to edge display due to the small bezels found on the device; this is similar to the display found on the G6.
On the back, the V30 gently curves into the edge of the phone, which should provide excellent handling that seems similar to the Galaxy S7 Edge. The finish on the LG V30 is also similar to the G6, featuring an all-metal body with the same smooth metallic feel.
V30 Specs
The LG V30 is powered by a Snapdragon 835 processor with 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, and a 3,300 mAh battery. These are pretty standard specs when it comes to other smartphones that have already been released this year. With phones offering higher RAM such as 6 GB or more, including the Note 8 and OnePlus 5, it has expected that the V30 would pack in a similar size of RAM. The V30 comes with Bluetooth 4.0 and LTE. In addition to these specs, the new V device has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. This is a more common feature on flagship devices but has never been seen on a device in the V series. This is a very welcomed feature that LG has included.
V30 Camera
LG’s V30 brings quite a few major camera improvements, both on the software and hardware front. While the V20 had a great camera setup, this time LG is adopting a 16 MP camera with an impressive f/1.6 aperture and a 71-degree field of view. The second lens on the back is a 13 MP camera with a f/1.9 aperture and 120-degree field of view. While there is optical image stabilization featured, you’ll only find it on the main lens. LG states that they have reduced the distortion when using the wide-angle lens by a third to give you a flatter image.
A new Crystal Clear Lens has also been added, which is designed to offer a more realistic overall image, differentiating from the plastic lenses used on most mobile devices. LG says this not only means the V30 can provide the “brightest mobile camera” available, it also has improved transparency by four percent. The end result is that the phone can capture up to 11 grades of darkness, versus 9.5 grades with most other mobile cameras; this is because more light can travel through the lens to the sensor as a result of the glass lens instead of plastic. Basically, this means you have darker blacks and lighter whites, which results in the ability to create better content with a sharper contrast.
V30 Videography
Continuing on the camera updates, LG is showcasing a few major new software features to the camera for improved videography. The first is called Cine Video, which allows you to use special built-in effects that let you add movie-grade hues and more to give your photos a more “professional” look.
The second focus feature is Point Zoom, which is still part of Cine Video but can be used without any of the effects needing to be used. This feature lets you zoom smoothly into a certain part of a video, instead of being required to zoom into the center and then move the camera, as is the case with other devices.
Lastly, there’s Cine Log. This allows you to capture a wide dynamic range and color gamut, record video using log gamma curve, and save the details in a table so you can edit it in tools such as Adobe Premiere Pro. If you have any interest in video production, this is a feature that likely appeals as it’ll mean you’re able to color-grade the video to a professional standard.
V30 Audio
Once again, LG brings its very best when it comes to audio, offering a Hi-Fi Quad DAC that was tuned by B&O Play. LG also mentions the handset will come with B&O Play headphones, that look very sleek. The V30 also features digital filters that allow you to adjust the impulse response of music and tailor it to your taste, while Hi-Fi Audio Recording means you’ll get great audio in video or when recording audio directly to the phone.
However, the biggest change this time around is that this is the first smartphone to support MQA. This allows for the streaming of high-resolution audio with a small file size and no loss of quality.
Finally, for when you are recording audio on the device, there’s also the Receiver-as-a-mic feature, which means the earpiece doubles as a microphone to ensure crystal clear audio even in loud environments of up to 145dB.
V30 Second Screen 2.0
Starting with the LG V10, the first device in the V series, the second display has been a key feature of the V series, but now the second screen has evolved. The large 18:9 display removes the need for the separate bar which is the screen at the top, but a floating bar takes its place as the Second Screen 2.0. Essentially the floating bar is a slide-out menu that floats around the screen, can easily be dismissed and gives you basically the same options as the second display found in its predecessor.
V30 Release
The V30 will come in Aurora Black, Cloud Silver, Moroccan Blue, and Lavender Violet. The LG V30 will arrive in South Korea on September 21st with other markets to follow. Unfortunately, that’s all that has been announced by LG. LG also remains silent about the cost of the device, though rumours suggest it will cost around $699 for the 64 GB variant.
