Features that Make the LG V30 a Strong Rival to the iPhone, Galaxy S8

In the high-end smartphone market, Apple and Samsung are the dominant handset makers and capture the lion’s share of revenue and profits in this field. But Korea-based LG is no slouch, and the introduction of the LG V30 smartphone at the IFA 2017 show demonstrates why it should be considered a top-tier device maker. The handset features a high-quality display and next-generation design, including some important extras such as water-resistance and a shock-resistant design. The Android-based handset delivers ample power for most mobile applications. This slide show will discuss in more detail what makes the LG V30 an effective alternative to market leaders Apple and Samsung. 

The LG V30 features what has become a standard design for high-end smartphones. It has a big screen with thin bezels and no physical home button. The fingerprint sensor is located on the back of the device and the screen, thanks to the slim bezels, is bigger than the LG V20’s screen.

The LG V30 has a 6-inch display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. The OLED display has a quad-HD resolution and 7500K color temperature, which should provide outstanding visual quality and vibrant colors. There’s also a slight curve to the screen, adding dimension to the device’s design.

Now that Google Android Oreo is available, many hope to see the operating system included in upcoming devices. LG, however, opted for the Android Nougat 7.1.2 version in the V30.

LG’s V30 comes with a dual-lens rear-facing camera, featuring a 16-megapixel standard-angle unit to complement a 13-megapixel wide-angle lens. The rear camera’s glass lens should allow more light to pass through to the image sensor and process 1.07 billion colors. The front-facing camera, meanwhile, is a 5-megapixel unit with a wide-angle lens.

LG didn’t spend too much time talking about the V30’s battery, but said the power pack has a 3,300mAh capacity. That should deliver all-day battery life without trouble—performance that matches the best smartphones on the market today.

LG selected a high-end processor for the V30—Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835. LG didn’t note its clock speed, but look for the Snapdragon 835 to pump out as much power as the Galaxy S8 line or any other 835-equipped smartphone.

True to its history of offering rugged features in its smartphones, LG delivered the same in the V30. According to LG, the V30 has an IP68 rating, protecting it from water and dust. It also has a MIL-STD 810G military rating, having passed 14 different standard durability tests.

Like previous high-end LG smartphones, the V30 comes with Hi-Fi Quad DAC sound, which means the smartphone’s audio output has digital filters for high-quality music and voice clarity. It also comes with a Master Quality Authenticated feature, which facilitates higher-quality audio transmission when streaming music.

LG is also selling a plus version of the LG V30. According to its specifications, the LG V30+ has the same design and most of the same features, but also has additional storage. The V30 offers 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage, while the V30+ includes the same 4GB of memory and 128GB of storage.

Unfortunately, LG is keeping some of the most pressing V30 questions close to the vest. The company said it will launch the V30 in Korea Sept. 21 with other markets to follow, but did not say when it will reach the U.S. market. Nor has LG disclosed the price for its new high-end handsets or what carriers will market it.