[IFA 2017] LG unveils camera, sound-centric V30 smartphone

BERLIN -- Hoping to reaffirm its presence in the global smartphone world, South Korea‘s tech giant LG Electronics chose Berlin to unveil its newest flagship smartphone with enhanced multimedia experience.

On Thursday, the Korean handset manufacturer came up with the newest flagship V30 smartphone focused on quality of entertainment with enhanced camera and audio features to be unveiled to around 700 tech maniacs and media officials from around the world, who are visiting the city to attend the IFA, the biggest tech show in Europe, starting Friday.
 

In February, LG had announced its premium flagship smartphone G6 ahead of the Mobile World Congress, another major tech show, held in Barcelona, Spain, with the same objective. But, the G6 smartphone has fallen short of handset lovers’ expectations.

The latest V series model, equipped with Korean-language version of Google Assistant, features the industry’s first F1.6 aperture and Crystal Clear Lens in the dual lens camera, OLED Full Vision display and Hi-Fi Quad digital-to-analog converter (DAC). 

Of the new features, the camera stands out the most as the industry’s first attempt to offer smartphone videography.

V30’s dual camera is powered with an F1.6 camera with a glass lens that lets in more lights to produce brighter and dynamic shots.

Another newly adopted Cine Video mode allows users to take movie-like videos on the V30 smartphone.

The Crystal Clear Lens delivers more accurate colors and clearer images than plastic lens that are used in other smartphones.

The second lens in the V30 dual camera is an upgraded 13MP wide angle lens with two-thirds less edge distortion than in V20.

With a 6-inch 18:9 OLED FullVision display, the V30 is 8 millimeters shorter and 3 millimeters narrower than the predecessor, resulting in a firmer grip. It is 7.3 millimeters thick and weighs 158 grams. 

According to the company, the V30 is the lightest among 6-inch smartphones.

The latest LG smartphone tries to offer users optimal multimedia experience with sound backed by a Hi-Fi Quad DAC and audio tuning by Bang & Olufsen PLAY.

The V30 is the first global smartphone to support MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) technology that allows for the streaming of high-resolution audio files that capture the sound of the original studio master and folds it into a small file to make high-resolution audio easy to stream. The V30’s recording capability is upgraded as well, with a receiver that doubles as a microphone to capture a broader sound spectrum, from gentle chimes to thunderous drums.

LG also introduced the first smartphone with a Korean language voice recognition service by Google.

The Google Assistant on the V30 takes advantage of the smartphone’s advanced signal processing enabling users to use the voice command, “Ok Google” even when loud music is being played.

In addition, LG appliances ranging from washing machine, dryer, refrigerator, air purifier, oven, air conditioner to robot vacuum are compatible with the Google Assistant when using the V30 and Google Home.

Users can say, “Ok Google, talk to LG to wash my clothes,” to start a load of laundry.

“The V series has always been demonstrating new practical mobile technologies that contribute to high quality content creation and the V30 has not lost sight of its roots,” said Juno Cho, president of the mobile communications at LG. “With its F1.6 Crystal Clear Lens Camera and Cine Video mode, the LG V30 is designed to help create professional-looking content without professional-level complexity.”

The V30 will be available to consumers in South Korea starting on Sept. 21 and will be followed by key markets in North America, Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

The 64-gigabyte V30 will come in four colors: Aurora Black, Cloud Silver, Moroccan Blue and Lavender Violet 2.

The LG V30+ with 128GB of storage will be available in some limited markets.

Together with the newest V30 smartphones, LG will exhibit its premium lineups of home appliances, including the thinnest, wallpaper-like OLED TV W and SIGNATURE series led by the Knock-on Magic Space refrigerator, targeting European consumers and business partners at the company’s booth at Messe Berlin.

By Song Su-hyun, Korea Herald correspondent
(song@heraldcorp.com)