Highlights include a 6in 18:9 FullVision OLED screen, a large-aperture dual-camera, Hi-Fi Quad DAC and the powerful Snapdragon 835 processor. LG has announced new AI features for the V30 for 2018, with the enhanced device expected to be on show at MWC 2018. Read on to find out more, and also check out our full LG V30 review.
When is the LG V30 release date?
Rumours were a little off about the release date as it will arrive a week earlier than expected on 21 September 2017. It is now available globally. As with a lot of phones now, there is 128GB V30+ model but this will be limited to certain markets. The LG V30 is available in Aurora Black, Cloud Silver, Moroccan Blue and Lavender Violet.
How much does the LG V30 cost?
Pricing in the UK matches a lot of other flagship phones but has been reduced at Buy LG V30, now £200 off at £599.
LG V30 AI features
Ahead of Mobile World Congress 2018, LG confirmed to us that it would not be holding a press conference, and therefore would not announce the G7. In true early LG fashion, on 13 February it released details of what it will be showcasing at MWC, its own AI technology for smartphones. The software will be included on ‘the 2018 version of the V30’; it;s not yet clear if current V30 owners will receive the update as an OTA. Called Vision AI, LG claims it makes the camera of the V30 smarter and more user friendly. For example, it will be able to auto select the best shoot mode for you from portrait, food, pet, landscape, city, flower, sunrise, and sunset. The software analyses the shot and picks the best mode for you to shoot in. And like Google Lens on the Pixel 2, the V30 will also come updated with smart image recognition to display image search results and shopping information from pictures. There will also be a new low-light mode and Google Assistant voice commands exclusive to LG. For a full list of the commands, check out LG’s announcement. There may not be a new phone from LG at MWC, but the new V30 features could make it feel like one.
LG V30 features and specifications
The V30 is the first smartphone to feature a plastic OLED FullVision display. This is a QHD+ (1440×2880) screen with a fast response time and minimal afterimages, making it a great device to also support Google Daydream. (Also see LG V30 vs LG G6.) The display measures 6in, though the V30 has a smaller body than the V20 thanks to significantly reduced top and bottom bezels – the V30 is 8mm shorter and 3mm narrower than its predecessor, just 7.3mm thick and 158g in weight. This makes it one of the lightest phones of this size. The ‘second screen’ we saw on the V20 is now a floating bar in the V30, giving quick access to frequently used functions. It can be dragged offscreen when not required. The Always-On Display has also been upgraded, and as well as the time it can now optionally show Quick Tools, Music Player or a personal photo. The V30 ships with LG’s enhanced UX 6.0+, which LG says has been optimised to work even better with the immersive 18:9 OLED FullVision display while offering more personalisation options for a more intuitive user experience. Google Assistant is also bundled, and supports commands specific to the V30, such as “Ok Google, take a romantic Cine Video” or “Ok Google, take a wide-angle selfie.”
The V30 has a dual-camera, in common with many recent flagship phones, though this one has the largest aperture of all at f/1.6 on its 16Mp lens. This is complemented with a crystal clear glass lens, laser autofocus, and both optical – and electronic image stabilisation. The second lens in this setup is a 13Mp wide-angle camera that has two-thirds less edge distortion than in the V20. It also says there’s a new Cine Video mode that has Cine Effect and Point Zoom features. The latter allows smooth zooming in on a subject, regardless of its position in the frame, while Cine Effect offers 15 movie-look presets. Graphy is a new feature within the camera’s Manual Mode, letting you choose from among a portfolio of professional shots and then apply those metadata presets to their own photos. You can create GIFs from the Gallery menu, and a Create Movie option lets you stitch together photos and/or video files into a moving image. There’s a new LG-Cine Log file type too, which can preserve a wide dynamic range and colour gamut, with more accurate image details. You can use face recognition with the 5Mp front camera or voice recognition to unlock the phone even when the display is in standby mode, but there’s also a fingerprint scanner on the rear.
LG also told us ahead of the unveiling that the V30 features a 32-bit Advanced Hi-Fi Quad DAC powered by ESS Technology’s SABRE ES9218P. It has two new features – digital filters and sound presets – and offers more customisable options than the original Hi-Fi Quad DAC. It’s also the first phone to support MQA tech for streaming high-res audio, and it will ship with B&O Play earphones. The V30 is fitted with the Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage and microSD support up to 256GB. A 3,300mAh battery supports wired- and wireless charging, and Quick Charge 3.0 support can get you to 50 percent in just 30 minutes. There’s also IP68 waterproofing, Gorilla Glass 5 front and rear and an ‘H-Beam structure’ metal frame. Ahead of CES 2018, LG announced a new colour of the V30. It’s described as “romance-inspiring” Raspberry Rose and will join the other four colours – Lavender Violet being similar but more subtle. The new model will go on sale in the Asian and European markets.
LG V30 specs
Marie is Editor in Chief of Tech Advisor and Macworld. A Journalism graduate from the London College of Printing, she’s worked in tech media for more than 17 years, managing our English language, French and Spanish consumer editorial teams and leading on content strategy through Foundry’s transition from print, to digital, to online - and beyond.
