We expect the LG V40 to launch in the second half of 2018, bringing with it flagship specs and a slightly more innovative approach than the 'safer' LG G7 ThinQ from May.The V series now feels like LG's core flagship offering, and with the G series falling flat the past couple of years our focus is now shifting to the South Korean firm's second half of the year launch.What LG needs to do first though, is sort out what its long-term plan is for the V and G lines.
After introducing us to the LG V30 at the end of August 2017, it rebooted the handset with slightly improved specs as the LG V35 ThinQ in May 2018.Its arrival was very close to the flagship G7 ThinQ, and blurred the lines between the two ranges, making it difficult to distinguish which handset is the pinnacle of the range.So what do we want to see from the LG V40 Some clarification would be a good start.Cut to the chaseWhat is it LG's next flagship V series smartphoneWhen is it out Could launch at the end of AugustWhat will it cost It'll carry a premium price tagLG V40 news and leaksWe've already seen a few LG V40 leaks, with the first coming back in April after Twitter leaker @evleaks posted the message "LG V40 is codenamed Storm."That's not exactly a huge amount to go on, but @evleaks has an excellent track record when it comes to these sort of things so it adds significant fuel to the LG V40 fire.In another tweet, @evleaks claims that the LG V40 launch date would be "late summer / early fall", which falls in nicely with what we expect after the LG V30 arrived at the end of August 2017.Another LG V40 rumor that's doing the rounds is one that claims the handset will boast five cameras.There's no word on how these cameras will be arranged, so we could see a triple camera setup on the rear, with dual selfie snappers on the front - but LG could do something completely different.The same report also says that the LG V40 will feature a screen notch that you'll be able to 'hide', just as you can on the G7 ThinQ, a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845 chipset - the latter being no surprise as it'll still be the leading chip come August/September.LG V40: what we want to seeAs we wait for more information on the LG V40 to roll in, we've had a think about what we'd like to see from the flagship handset when it finally launches.1.
A marked step forwardOkay, so this is quite a loose one to kick us off, but we'd love to see LG break the mold once again.
It's put buttons on the back of phones, made flexible phones and even leather-covered phones in the past, but recently things have become rather samey.The LG V40 is an opportunity for the South Korean firm to express its zany side again,with something to make it stand out and for people to sit up and take notice.
It'll need to be careful though and try and avoid gimmicks.
We've probably had enough AR Emoji action for the time being.2.
More screen, thinner bezels and no notchNext up we've got a classic triple-threat, an old-school 3-in-1 'want' for the LG V40.LG jumped on the screen-notch bandwagon with the G7 ThinQ, but we'd love to see it take the leap to the all-screen, no notch aesthetic that we've seen on the Vivo Nex and Oppo Find X.That would mean pushing the bezels as far back as possible to maximize screen real estate - we're thinking a 93% screen-to-body ratio minimum - while also finding an innovative way of integrating the sensors, front-facing camera and earpiece into the design.The pop-up cameras on the Vivo and Oppo handsets are certainly fun, but we'd love to see LG come up with a new workaround here.3.
The latest Android softwareThe next version of Google's mobile operating system is already in its public beta phase, and we want to see the LG V40 be one of the first - if not the first - to launch with the final version of Android P.4.
Better low-light photographyOne of our core negatives against the LG V30 was its performance when it came to low-light photography, with the handset failing to hit the same heights as rivals.This time around we want to see LG work on its low-light shooting and equip the V40 with a top-notch camera that will laugh in the face of darkness.It may be time for LG to switch up how it utilizes the dual-camera setup on the rear of its phones, swapping the secondary wide-angle lens with one tasked with sucking in additional light for your photos.5.
Faster wireless chargingThe LG V30 was one of the few phones to arrive with wireless charging capabilities in 2017, so a big tick for it in that respect, but we did find the top-up speeds to be a little sluggish.For the LG V40 we want to see a step up in the wireless charging, with faster top-ups making the tech all the more convenient.
Oh, and if LG could include a wireless charging pad in the box as well, that would be ideal.6.
Global availabilityWhile the LG V30 was available pretty much worldwide, the updated V35 ThinQ was restricted to just a few countries.We're therefore calling on LG to make sure you'll be able to buy the LG V40 in all major markets around the world.
If you make a great phone, make sure people can buy it, LG!7.
A fresh new lookTake a look at the LG V20, V30 and V35 and all three handsets are very similar, with a safe, slightly bland design.In 2018 we've seen the Huawei P20 Pro and Honor 10 show off snazzy rears that pop with color, so some eye-catching colors coupled with a redesigned body is high on our list of wants for the LG V40.LUUTsaTN22Ef9jrPbpMtcK.jpg#