Looking for the latest news about the LG V30? Read on for the all the news and rumours, including details on the LG V30 release date, price, features, and whether or not it will be Google Daydream ready.
Last year's LG V20 smartphone was hugely popular, and was considered by many to be a superior handset to the flagship LG G5 handset. Its predecessor, the LG V10, saw similar success, so it's no surprise that there's plenty of hype for what's coming next.
We don’t have an official name for LG’s next flagship phone, but precedent suggests that it’ll be called the LG V30. Until we know otherwise, we’re going to call it that for simplicity’s sake.
Here are five things we know – or think we know – about LG’s next major phone release.
LG V20
1. LG V30 Release Date: It’s coming this year
LG hasn’t made any official announcements about its next flagship phone. Luckily for us, Google did the job in LG’s stead.
At this year’s Google I/O developer conference, Google revealed that LG’s next flagship device would be landing in 2017. Unfortunately we don’t know exactly when, but we can take a good guess.
The first LG V-series phone was the LG V10, and was announced in September 2015, followed swiftly by an October launch. Next up was the LG V20, which was unveiled on September 6, 2016, and eventually released on September 29 that same year.
If we were to hazard a guess, we’d say that the LG V30 – or whatever LG’s next flagship phone is called – will be announced (and probably released) at some time in September this year.
2. It’s going to be Daydream-ready
Along with the release announcement, Google also used its May I/O keynote to confirm that the next flagship LG phone would be Daydream-ready.
For the unaware, Daydream is Google’s virtual reality platform that consists of headsets, peripherals, and software. To support the Google Daydream software, you need a sufficiently powerful phone with a speedy processor and a high-density display. That’s ruled basically every smartphone out to date, but LG is set to make amendments with the LG V30 to support Daydream.
Samsung will also be updating the Galaxy S8 this summer to support Daydream.
LG V10
3. It will probably run on Android O
The LG V20 was the very first Android phone to run on Google’s (then) brand new Android 7.0 Nougat operating system. It was a major selling point for the phone, as getting new versions of Android onto a device so quickly is very rare.
That’s why we’d be very surprised if the LG V30 didn’t run on Android O, which is expected to launch later this summer. If Google is already collaborating with LG in regards to Daydream, it would make sense for Android O to be involved too. Google is also making a major push to improve the speed of rolling out new versions of Android, again increasing the likelihood of an ‘O’-toting LG V30.
4. It will almost certainly use the Snapdragon 835
To support Daydream, you need a sufficiently powerful chip. Fortunately, Qualcomm has exactly that in the form of the Snapdragon 835, the company’s latest processor. Built on a super-efficient 10nm manufacturing process, the Snapdragon 835 is up to 27% faster and 40% less power-hungry than its predecessor. We’ve already seen it feature in the Samsung Galaxy S8, as well as other high-end phones like the Sony Xperia XZ Premium and the new HTC U11.
If the next LG flagship phone didn’t feature the Snapdragon 835, we’d be very surprised. By the LG V30’s expected September release window, there’ll be a huge roster of Android flagships running on the chip. More importantly, LG doesn’t have a Snapdragon 835 phone yet, as the LG G6 launched slightly too early, leaving it running on the slightly older Snapdragon 821.
LG V10
5. It’s tipped to feature an OLED screen
One of the biggest LG V30 rumours is that the phone will see LG finally making the switch to OLED screens – and away from conventional LCD panels.
Unlike a traditional LCD screen, an OLED display has pixels that are self-illuminating, and that can be turned on or off individually. This allows OLED screens to display a wider colour gamut, and also offer better power-efficiency (due to the lack of backlight).
Samsung has been using OLED screens in its flagship Galaxy phones for years, but that’s mostly thanks to the fact that Samsung Display produces the lion’s share of phone-sized OLED panels globally. Apple is already rumoured to be adopting OLED later this year, so we’d be surprised if LG wasn’t mulling a similar move.
According to the Korea Herald, LG is definitely considering switching to OLED for the LG V30, so we’re quietly confident that this will be the case.
