LG's new V20 smartphone targets selected consumers

By Park Sae-jin Posted : September 7, 2016, 16:00 Updated : September 7, 2016, 17:24

[Courtesy of LG]



South Korea's LG Electronics released its new V20 premium smartphone Wednesday, targeting selected consumers at home and abroad in a cautious marketing strategy that followed poor sales of its previous models.

The V20 to be released in Seoul and San Francisco features dual-lens cameras and improved audio functions through collaboration with Denmark's high-end audio company Bang & Olufsen to adopt its sound tuning technology. Prices were not disclosed. 

It is the world's first smartphone to run on Google's new Android mobile operating system called "Nougat".  LG has enhanced ties with Google to adopt the new search app "In Apps" that enables users to find content from built-in apps, including contacts, emails, text messages and photos, and also from user-installed apps.

The V20 integrated a 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC (digital to analog converter) technology into the device for the first time. Quad DAC provides clearer sound than a single DAC. 

The front camera with a 120-degree lens expands the selfie experience to take bigger pictures while the rear camera has a 135-degree lens. LG has focused on strengthening cameras since the G2 was released in 2013. 

Juno Cho, president of LG's mobile communications division, said the V20 would appeal to smartphone consumers who put emphasis on the quality of cameras and sound.  "Embedded with everything of premium phones and the values of LG Electronics, I believe it's more important to attract consumers who are bothered about camera and audio."

The release of LG's new smartphone comes as domestic rival Samsung Electronics was dogged by faulty batteries that caused a series of explosions and led to a global call and the temporary suspension of sales.  Cho, however, said Samsung's misfortune would not affect the sale of LG phones.  

Unlike its predecessors, the V20 is not a model targeting global consumers, said Cho.

"Our business is not so good but we hope the V20 will provide a turning point," he said, adding the new smartphone would be unveiled first in South Korea, the United States, and Hong Kong. The new device would be sold online only for a while in China, the world's largest smartphone market.

LG has experienced a slump with V20's predecessor. The V10, released in October 2015 as a premium smartphone, received positive feedbacks for its sturdiness and strong basic features but popularity failed to last long due to rivalry with Samsung and Apple. 

The G5 model received horrific feedbacks from consumers and critics for its faulty main board and inconvenient interchangeable modules.

The V20 also features the second screen of the company's former model V10, a phablet (phone + tablet) sized smartphone featuring a 5.7-inch display, a second display, DAC, and dual rear cameras.

The second screen is a separate display from the smartphone's main display and users are notified with alarms, text messages, and other notifications without having to turn on the main screen every time.

Aju News Lim CHang-won = lim34@ajunews.com
 
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