LG unveils the V10, a dual-screen flagship with twin front cameras for AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile
Dual-screen smartphones have always felt more gimmicky than innovative. The problem historically has been one of focus: Although manufacturers have approached the tacking on of ancillary screens in all sorts of different ways, the experiences have never been compelling enough to justify added bulk. The Samsung Coninuum’s ticker display, for example, was difficult to type around and hard to customize. The Kyocera Echo had a unsightly seam.But that baggage didn’t stop LG. Riding on the coattails of the G4’s success, the electronics-maker announced the V10 on Wednesday at an event in South Korea. It features a second display like the aforementioned handsets, but unlike the dual-screen handsets before it, it packs more than a few additional surprises: dual front-facing cameras capable of capturing wide-angle selfies, a manual video mode that exposes granular image settings, and a ruggedized body of stainless steel and silicon that’s passed third-party shock tests.
Updated on 10-01-2015 by Malarie Gokey: Added news that T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T will carry the LG V10.
Pricing and availability
LG stated that the LG V10 will arrive at AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon soon. There was no mention of pricing or a firm release date for the phone, and Sprint was left out of the list — for now. However, T-Mobile tweeted its excitement for the phone and set up a pre-register page for those who are interested.AT&T issued a statement to Digital Trends via email, saying it will support the V10 and the new smartwatch from LG. “AT&T is excited to enhance our device options for customers with the addition two groundbreaking smart devices from LG Mobile: the LG V10 smartphone, and the connected LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE Android Wear smartwatch. We’ll have more information on pricing and availability on the V10 and LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE at a later date.”
The LG V10 is slated to launch in South Korea first, and the U.S. and China later. It’s available in black, white, beige, and two shades of blue.
We’ll keep you updated here as we learn more about pricing and availability in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Specs and features
LG’s no stranger to dual-display smartphones — it did, after all, debut the twin-screen touting LG DoublePlay in 2011 — but the company’s taken a more measured approach with the V10. The second, 160 x 1,040 pixel IPS screen sits unobtrusively above the primary IPS QHD (2,560 x 1,440) display, and practically seamlessly — unlike dual-screen phones of yesteryear, it’s difficult to tell where the one display ends and the other begins.
Related: Make the most of the excellent LG G4 with these 10 tipsAs far as what you’re meant to do with the second screen, LG envisions it as a sort of it as a sort of segregated space for all manner of software distractions. Notifications will appear on the second screen instead of the main display when your watching a video or playing a game. It can be configured as a launcher for apps, and it can minimize the main screen’s power draw by displaying the weather, time, date, and battery when it’s off.
A second screen might be considered differentiating enough, but the V10 packs another idiosyncratic feature: dual 5-megapixel front cameras. LG says the two shooters, in tandem with a “sophisticated software algorithm,” enable the V10 to capture wide angle photos — fields of view between 80 and 120 degrees — that’d otherwise require an image-distorting large and heavy lens. The photography uniqueness carries over to software. The V10 records video up to 4K (at a ratio of either 16:9 or 21:9), and LG says the it’s is the first smartphone to offer a manual mode for video — with the built-in app, you can adjust settings such as frame rate, shutter speed, white balance, focus, and ISO.
It’s all packed in a durable frame. The V10’s exterior is composed of soft, scratch-resistant Dura Guard silicon and SAE grade 316L stainless steel in an etched design that’s intended to “offer a more secure grip.” Should that measure fail, though, LG says the materials are supple enough to withstand hard hits — the V10’s certified by MET Laboratories for falls up to 48 inches.
Related: Why the LG’s G4 is the perfect Swiss Army knife for a digital nomadIn terms of other internals, the V10 is packed to the brim with high-end hardware. It sports a Snapdragon 808 processor, same as the G4; 4GB(!) of RAM; a 16-megapixel rear camera; 64GB of memory expandable via MicroSD (up to 2TB); and a 3,000mAh battery with Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0. It’s got a Hi-Fi audio processor by ESS Technology, too, plus antennas with Qualcomm’s signal-optimizing TruSignal software, an apparent smartphone first. It’ll ship with Android 5.1.1.
LG didn’t cut many corners with the V10, and that’s key. By positioning the second screen as a feature in addition to many impressive others, LG’s avoided the obvious pitfall of previous product entries in the second screen category: the companion display as a selling point in and of itself. With competitive pricing to accompany the compelling package, it’s a strategy that may well pay off.
