One of LG’s leading phone series is about to change in a big way, with the abandonment of a key defining feature – according to a new report, anyway.
When the LG V10 launched back in 2015, it was a surprise to us all. Firstly, we weren’t expecting LG to debut another flagship-grade smartphone to sit alongside the core LG G phones and the similarly high-end G Flex devices. Secondly, it was actually a good phone, and went down well with critics. This was, in part, because of its unique and innovative customisable second display.
The LG V20, which launched last year, continued the tradition of including a secondary display plane near the top of the phone. This panel offered control functionality and could display messages; it’s akin to the OLED Touch Bar on the new MacBook Pro models.
LG V10
But the bad news is that LG might be about to ditch the secondary display on the LG V30, meaning that the phone series would be losing one of its defining innovations. According to the XDA Developers blog, a “trusted source” has revealed that the next LG V-series smartphone won’t feature the secondary display.
The report goes on to suggest that the LG V30 will use a singular OLED panel, bringing the phone in line with Samsung Galaxy devices, which have been fitted with such displays for years.
LG V20
Unlike with traditional backlit-LCD displays, the pixels in OLED screens produce their own light. This negates the need for a backlight and thus saves energy. Also, because individual pixels can be turned on or off, it’s possible to display truer blacks, which is part of the reason why OLED panels have a wider dynamic range and colour gamut.
Unfortunately, as LG hasn’t made any official announcements, it’s impossible to say for sure whether the LG V30 – if it even exists – will drop the secondary display and take up OLED technology. With rumours of Apple also vying for OLED screens with the iPhone 8 this year, it seems likely that LG would want to get in the game too. But we’ll have to wait for a proper announcement before we’ll know the truth, and that probably won’t happen until September or October at the earliest.
Related: Best Android phones
What would you like to see from LG’s next flagship smartphone? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.