Why are smartphone manufacturers putting so much emphasis on cameras? Because videos and images have become the medium of communication in today’s digital ecosystem, especially social media. This explains why the LG V40 ThinQ has five cameras, yes 5!
According to LG, the V40 ThinQ has been designed from the ground up with an all-encompassing smartphone camera experience. The company wants to give storytellers the technology they need to capture and communicate with visuals and video.
These storytellers are influencers and vloggers who use smartphones to capture, store, and post their content online. And they have become lucrative small businesses generating hundreds of millions of dollars in ad revenue.
For LG addressing this particular segment, as well as regular consumers who want quality cameras on their smartphone was the goal. This is what Hwang Jeong-hwan, president of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company, said in a press release.
“The LG V40 ThinQ was designed with the main goal to deliver an uncompromised experience for users to create, consume and share high-quality content. The versatility of the camera and the proven V series platform makes the LG V40 ThinQ a serious option for customers looking for a premium smartphone that does it all.”
The Cameras
The five cameras on the V40 ThinQ have grabbed a lot of attention, so it is only fair to start with this feature.
Front
Camera 1 features an 8MP main sensor with f/1.9.
Camera 2 has 5MP wide-angle shooter with f/2.2.
Rear
Camera 1 sports a 12MP main sensor with OIS and f/1.5 aperture.
Camera 2 gives users a 16MP 107-degree super wide-angle lens with f/1.7.
Camera 3 offers a 12MP telephoto 2x zoom lens with f/2.4.
The front cameras have personalization options with special effects and lighting for selfies. Both cameras also work together to create bokeh effect with a slider to adjust the background blur.
The rear cameras can also be used at the same time. A software is then able to stitch the images together into a short video file.
Additional improvements to the camera include a larger camera sensor (40% over the LG V30), greater depth of field, Dual PDAF (Phase Detection Auto Focus), AI Composition, and more.
Key Specs of the LG V40 ThinQ
LG’s new five camera smartphone also features a number of other impressive specs including:
- Processor – Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
- Display – 6.4-inch 19.5:9 QHD+ OLED FullVision Display (3120 x 1440 / 538ppi)
- Memory – 6GB LPDDR4 RAM
- Storage – 64GB or 128GB storage with microSD (up to 2TB)
- Battery – 3300mAh
- Android 8.1 Oreo
- Connectivity – WiFi 802.11 a, b, g, n, ac / Bluetooth 5.0 BLE / NFC / USB Type-C 2.0 (3.1 compatible)
- Water resistant (IP68); wireless charging; DTS:X 3D Surround; Quad DAC
Flag Ship Price
If you are a small business looking to arm your staff with this phone, it will be a costly proposition. When it becomes available later this month, it will run you anywhere from $900 to $980 to own it outright.
If this is not an option, you can get it on a monthly plan from U.S. Cellular, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint in the US.
You can pre-order the LG V40 ThinQ now, and if you do LG will throw in the DJI Osmo Mobile 2 (a handheld smartphone gimbal) and a 256GB microSD card valued at $260 for free.
The LG Hybrid Watch
In the same release, LG also announced the LG Watch W7. This a different approach to the watches other smartphone manufacturers are making as it combines mechanical movement with digital functionalities.
The watch is made in collaboration with Swiss watchmaker Soprod. The combined technology allows the watch to run for up to 100 days in the mechanical watch-only mode before it needs a charge.
LG Watch W7 specs include:
- Processor – Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 Platform
- Operating System – Wear OS by Google
- Display – 1.2-inch LCD (360 x 360 / 300ppi)
- Memory – 4GB eMMC / 768MB LPDDR3
- Battery – 240mAh
- Connectivity – Wi-Fi 802.11 b, g, n / Bluetooth 4.2 BLE / USB Type-C 2.0
- IP68 Water and Dust Resistance / Quartz Movement
The LG Watch W7 is priced at $449.
Image: LG