Mobile World Congress is one of Europe’s largest tech events and it’s all about mobile devices and technology. LG has just announced their brand new LG G8 and LG V50 ThinQ smartphones at MWC 2019. The company has also revealed that the LG V50 ThinQ is their first ever 5G enabled phone.
The LG V50 Thin Q sports a 6.4-inch QHD+ OLED FullVision Display with 19.5:9 aspect ratio which the company says offers better immersion in your gaming and entertainment. The audio experience has been upgraded as well with DTS:X technology which brings surround sound which LG says creates a realistic soundscape. The phone also supports Qualcomm aptX and aptX HD audio technology for premium Bluetooth audio quality and low latency ideal for immersive listening experiences over headphones or earbuds.
LG has also done some work on the video side of the camera system. The company implemented “Video Depth Control” in both the front and rear cameras to ensure that moving subjects remain in focus. By analyzing distance and depth with “Dual FOV” technology, users can capture exactly what they see which the company says will produce pro and polished video.
The V50 ThinQ is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 with the Snapdragon X50 5G modem. Battery power is provided by a 4,000mAh cell which is 20% larger than the V40. LG has also implemented a new Vapor Chamber heat-dissipation system to keep internal temperatures low and support sustained apps processing performance even when multitasking.
The LG V50 ThinQ is 8.3mm thick and weighs 183 grams and it has a svelt and sleek design without a camera hump. In preparation of the rollout of its first 5G phone, LG is partnering with 10 major carriers in markets where 5G service will be launched this year, including the United States, South Korea, Australia as well as a number of European countries.
The LG V50 ThinQ Dual-Screen Experience
LG is taking
With Dual Screen attached, an icon appears on the display of the LG V50 ThinQ 5G which can be tapped to power on the second display or switch effortlessly between the two screens. A multi-window feature divides each screen in two, making it possible to display and use multiple applications at the same time. In select games, the Dual Screen can be used as a dedicated controller, resolving the age-old problem of thumbs getting in the way of the action. The Dual Screen can be positioned in two convenient angles – 104 and 180 degrees – and because it runs off the phone’s battery, there’s no need to charge it separately.
LG Press Release
LG V50 ThinQ Specifications
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform with Snapdragon X50 5G Modem
- Display: 6.4-inch 19.5:9 QHD+ OLED FullVision (3120 x 1440 / 538ppi)
- Memory: 6GB RAM / 128GB / microSD (up to 2TB)
- Camera:
– Rear: 16MP Super Wide (F1.9 / 1.0μm / 107˚) / 12MP Standard (F1.5 / 1.4μm / 78˚) / 12MP Telephoto (F2.4 / 1.0μm / 45˚)
– Front: 8MP Standard (F1.9 / 1.12μm / 80˚) / 5MP Wide (F2.2 / 1.12μm / 90˚) - Operating System: Android 9.0 Pie
- Size: 159.2 x 76.1 x 8.3mm
- Weight: 183g
- Network: 3G / 4G LTE-A / 5G
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a, b, g, n, ac / Bluetooth 5 / NFC /
USB Type-C (USB 3.1 Compatible) - Colors: Astro Black
- Other: Full-range Stereo Speakers / Boombox Speaker / AI CAM / Google Lens / Google Assistant / Super Far Field Voice Recognition / 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC / DTS:X 3D Surround Sound / IP68 Water and Dust Resistance / HDR10 / Face Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / Qualcomm Quick Charge™ 3.0 Technology / MIL-STD 810G Compliance / FM Radio
Dual-Screen LG V50 ThinQ Specifications
- Display: 6.2-inch FHD+ OLED FullVision (2160 x 1080)
- Size: 161.6 x 83.4 x 15.5mm
- Weight: 131g
- Contact Type: Pogo Pin (3)
- Colors: New Aurora Black
LG G8 ThinQ
As with the V50, LG is really pushing the fact that both of these devices lack a camera bump while maintaining a thin design. The LG G8 ThinQ also sees an audio improvement with LG’s “Crystal Sound OLED,” an audio advancement that uses the smartphone’s display as a speaker diaphragm, eliminates the need for a front speaker, adding to the minimalist aesthetic.
LG G8 ThinQ is the world’s first smartphone with advanced palm vein authentication, made possible by the combination of the ToF Z Camera and infrared sensors. More secure than fingerprint recognition technology, LG’s Hand ID identifies owners by recognizing the shape, thickness and other individual characteristics of the veins in the palms of their hands. Simply placing a pre-registered hand in front of the front-facing camera for a split second is all it takes to unlock the LG G8 ThinQ and all its content.
The advanced Z Camera comes into play again when capturing eye-catching selfies in portrait mode. Z Camera measures infrared rays reflected off subjects to calculate depth faster and more accurately than other image sensors, making exciting features such as Face Unlock possible. Because Z Camera sees objects in 3D, Face Unlock is impossible to fool with two-dimensional images of a face as photographs have no depth. What’s more, ToF technology in LG’s Z Camera isn’t affected by ambient light so accuracy is unaffected by light from external sources. With multiple forms of biometric authentication, LG is delivering more options for smartphone security than any other smartphone manufacturer, allowing consumers to choose which option is more convenient for them given the circumstance.
The Z Camera is also implemented to advance the user experience with Air Motion. Without touching the phone – useful especially when driving – users can answer or end calls, take screenshots, switch between applications or adjust the volume. Controlling the LG G8 ThinQ is as simple as waving a hand or pinching the air, increasing convenience for active consumers when wearing gloves or swimming.
LG Press Release
LG says that the front-facing camera in the LG G8 ThinQ measures the distance between the subject and the camera in millimeters to control the intensity of the background blur up to 256 levels for selfies with more depth. With an image sensor of 1.22μm (approximately 10 percent larger than in the LG V40ThinQ), the LG G8 ThinQ is said to produce a much cleaner image that is also even faster with Auto Focus.
The G8 is the first G series phone to feature LG’s OLED technology. The display is 6.1″ with 564ppi which LG says translate to impeccable detail. Sound is also important to LG as they once again have incorporated a DAC on the G8. Realistic surround sound is made possible with DTS:X, with a 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC. The phone also supports Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) technology, allowing for compressed high-resolution audio streaming without compromising sound quality.
LG G8 ThinQ Specifications
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform
- Display: 6.1-inch 19.5:9 QHD+ OLED FullVision (3120 x 1440 / 564ppi)
- Memory: 6GB RAM / 128GB / microSD (up to 2TB)
- Camera:
– Rear: 16MP Super Wide (F1.9 / 1.0μm / 107˚) / 12MP Standard (F1.5 / 1.4μm / 78˚) / 12MP Telephoto (F2.4 / 1.0μm / 45˚)
– Front: 8MP Standard (F1.7 / 1.22μm / 80˚ with AF) / Z Camera (ToF Technology) - Battery: 3500mAh
- Operating System: Android 9.0 Pie
- Size: 151.9 x 71.8 x 8.4mm
- Weight: 167g
- Network: 3G / 4G LTE-A
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a, b, g, n, ac / Bluetooth 5 / NFC /
USB Type-C (USB 3.1 Compatible) - Biometrics: Hand ID / Face Unlock / Fingerprint Sensor
- Colors: Carmine Red / New Aurora Black / New Moroccan Blue
- Other: Air Motion / Boombox Speaker + Crystal Sound OLED Stereo Speaker / AI CAM / Google Lens / Google Assistant / Super Far Field Voice Recognition / 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC / DTS:X 3D Surround Sound / IP68 Water and Dust Resistance / HDR10 / Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 Technology / MIL-STD 810G Compliance / FM Radio
LG G8s ThinQ Specifications
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform
- Display: 6.2-inch 18.7:9 FHD+ OLED FullVision (2248 x 1080)
- Memory: 6GB RAM / 64GB or 128GB
- Camera:
– Rear: 13MP Wide / 12MP Standard / 12MP Telephoto
– Front: 8MP Standard / Z Camera (ToF Technology) - Battery: 3550mAh
- Other: Hand ID / Face Unlock / Air Motion / Stereo Speakers
Pricing and availability have not been announced but we suspect it will be at some point in Q1 of 2019.
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Last Updated on February 3, 2021.
