LG V30S ThinQ is announced: LG's first AI phone
A day before the start of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, LG announced an improved version of its best smartphone from 2017. The LG V30S ThinQ, as it is called, is here to introduce us to LG's approach to artificial intelligence on mobile and to show us how AI can make a good smartphone an even better one.
The LG V30S ThinQ is the company's first AI-powered phone
Sounds cool and all, but what can the LG V30S actually do? A primary use for the phone's AI algorithms is to recognize various scenes and objects. When taking photos, for example, the AI CAM feature takes control over settings like saturation, sharpness, and contrast, and adjusts them optimally based on the scene it "sees". Right now there are 8 scenes that can be recognized by the LG V30S: Portrait, Animal, City, Flower, Sunrise, Sunset, Food, and Landscape.
QLens is another AI feature built into the phone's camera app. It is designed to let you search for a particular product on Amazon by taking a photo of it using the LG V30S. Searches on Pinterest can be performed the same way.
Scan an object with LG's QLens feature to search for it on Amazon or Pinterest
Speaking of the V30S and its camera, LG is introducing a new Bright Mode with its latest phone. It is automatically enabled in low-light situations and binds four pixels into one for a brighter image. On the downside, the produced photos is of lower resolution due to the way it fuses individual pixels together.
All of the above features are expected to be brought to the LG V30 with a software update.
The LG V30S is scheduled to launch within one to two weeks after MWC 2018. Korea, LG's homeland, will be one of the first markets to get the new phone, followed by other countries, including the US. Specifics regarding its US pricing and carrier availability remain unknown for now, but we'll pass along those details as soon as we get them.
On the hardware front, the LG V30S is nearly identical to last year's LG V30 despite the "S" in its name, retaining the 6-inch OLED display, the dual camera setup, the 3300mAh battery capacity, and the Snapdragon 835 system chip. The only improvements under the hood is the inclusion of 6GB of RAM instead of 4, as well as the bump to 128 or 256GB of native storage instead of 64. The LG V30S will come in two new colors when it is released: Moroccan Blue and Platinum Gray.
source: LG
LG V30S ThinQ WITH NEW INTEGRATED AI DEBUTS AT MWC 2018
Upgraded with AI Features, LG’s Newest Smartphone Brings Ease and Convenience to the Mobile Experience
BARCELONA, Feb. 25, 2018 — LG Electronics (LG) is debuting its first ThinQ mobile device this week at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 in Barcelona, Spain. Building on the foundation of the LG V30 platform, the LG V30S ThinQ integrates new AI technologies into the most commonly used features that are closely aligned to the needs and usage behavior of consumers today. ThinQ was introduced at CES 2018 to identify all of LG’s home appliances, consumer electronics and services that utilize artificial intelligence. With the vision of becoming a human-centered AI company that puts consumers first, LG’s vision for ThinQ is to promote artificial intelligence as an approachable and less intimidating technology.
LG began working on making differentiated and intuitive AI-based solutions for the most commonly used smartphones features more than a year ago. With a particular focus on the camera and voice recognition, the resulting Vision AI delivers a smarter camera that is even easier to use, while Voice AI enhances the breadth of spoken commands in the latest smartphone.
Vision AI: Making Photography Intuitive
Vision AI includes three new intelligent camera features: AI CAM, QLens and Bright Mode that automates and enhances the smartphone image capturing experience for novice as well as experienced shutterbugs.
AI CAM analyzes subjects in the frame and recommends the optimal shooting mode among eight categories: portrait, food, pet, landscape, city, flower, sunrise, and sunset. Each mode enhances the characteristics of the subject taking into account factors such as the viewing angle, color, reflections, lighting, and saturation level.
QLens takes further advantage of the image recognition capabilities of the AI technology to scan QR codes to improve the online shopping experience. Capture an item of interest with QLens to get information as to where to buy the product online at the lowest price as well as recommendations of similar items. Perform an image search with QLens to see matching or similar images of food, fashion and celebrities or detailed information of landmarks such as buildings and statues.
Low light photography on the LG V30S ThinQ gets a huge boost with Bright Mode. Instead of measuring only ambient light like most smartphone cameras, this AI feature uses algorithms to brighten images by a factor of two for better looking photos without the noise.
Voice AI: LG-Exclusive Voice Commands
Another new feature is Voice AI that allows users to run apps and change settings through voice commands alone. Working alongside Google Assistant, the LG-exclusive Voice AI commands eliminates the need to search through menu options and allows for direct selection of specific functions.
More Memory, More Storage, More Colors
The LG V30S ThinQ takes the “flagship” nomenclature to a new level with upgraded features that would satisfy even the most demanding customer. With 6GB of RAM, smooth multitasking and faster performance is virtually guaranteed and storage capacities of 128GB in the LG V30S ThinQ and 256GB in the LG V30S+ ThinQ means that customers will never run out of space. In the rare event that does happen, the microSD slot provides even more storage, up to 2TB.
Still the thinnest and lightest among smartphones with displays of 6 inches or more, the LG V30S ThinQ is no slouch in the toughness and durability category, having passed 14 MIL-STD 810G tests approved by the US Department of Defense. The New Moroccan Blue color has been updated with a green tint while New Platinum Gray gives the device a sophisticated, elegant look. Both devices feature a lenticular finish on the back that displays different hues under certain lighting conditions.
Expanding the Smartphone AI Experience
The AI suite of technologies in the LG V30S ThinQ is the just the beginning of the company’s renewed strategy to create more intelligent smartphones that puts consumers’ needs above all else. While the LG V30S ThinQ offers such advanced features out of the box, certain phones from LG will receive key AI features in future updates delivered over-the-air. Additional LG smartphones will be considered for future AI upgrades, depending on hardware and other factors for the best user experience.
“Many companies talk about AI but we’re already delivering on our promise by integrating intelligent technology in the LG V30S ThinQ to features most commonly used by our customers for a whole new level of convenience never before available in a smartphone of this caliber,” said Hwang Jeong-hwan, president of LG Mobile Communications Company. “And we will continue to introduce new AI capabilities to enhance usability and to demonstrate to our customers that we are committed to delivering a great user experience that continues long after the purchase of an LG phone.”
Attendees of MWC 2018 are encouraged to visit LG’s booth in Hall 3 of Fira Gran Via from February 26 until March 1 for more information on the LG V30S ThinQ.
Key Specifications:
Chipset: Qualcomm® Snapdragon ™ 835 Mobile Platform
Display: 6.0-inch 18:9 QuadHD+ OLED FullVision Display (2880 x 1440 / 538ppi)
Memory:
- V30S ThinQ: 6GB RAM / 128GB ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)
- V30S+ ThinQ: 6GB RAM / 256GB ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)
Camera:
- Rear Dual: 16MP Standard Angle (F1.6 / 71°) / 13MP Wide Angle (F1.9 / 120°)
- Front: 5MP Wide Angle (F2.2 / 90°)
AI: AI CAM / QLens / Bright Mode / AI Haptic / Google Assistant
Battery: 3300mAh
Operating System: Android 8.0 Oreo
Size: 151.7 x 75.4 x 7.3mm
Weight: 158g
Network: LTE-A 4 Band CA
Connectivity Wi-Fi 802.11 a, b, g, n, ac / Bluetooth 5.0 BLE / NFC / USB Type-C 2.0 (3.1 compatible)
Colors: New Moroccan Blue, New Platinum Gray
Other: IP68 Water and Dust Resistant / MIL-STD 810G Compliant / 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC / HDR10 / Crystal Clear Lens / Google Daydream / UX 6.0+ / Voice Recognition / Face Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / Qualcomm® Quick Charge™ 3.0 Technology / Wireless Charging
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed: