After two years of poor sales, LG decided to shake up its mobile division. New executives are at the helm, and changes to their flagship lineups are already underway. Specifically, the V series is expanding, as LG announced the second new device in the series, the LG V35 ThinQ.
As the naming implies, this is a mid-cycle upgrade. Similar to the T series for OnePlus, LG has made small changes to the already well-received device to extended its life cycle by one more year. The result is a phone which is almost visually identical to its predecessor, but has upgraded its internals with the G7 ThinQ's parts. While not the sexiest phone release, it is technically the most powerful V-series you can buy right now.
Specs
- OS: Android 8.0 Oreo
- Skin: LG UX 6.0+
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
- GPU: Adreno 630
- RAM: 6 GB
- Weight: 157g
- Storage: 64 or 128 GB (expandable via microSD)
- Display: 6" 2880 x 1440 18:9 OLED Display
- Rear Cameras: 16 MP + 16 MP
- Front Camera: 8 MP
- Battery: 3,300 mAh
- Colors: Aurora Black, Platinum Gray
- I/O: 3.5 mm headphone jack
AT&T & Project Fi Exclusive
Only two carriers will be officially selling this new device: AT&T and Project Fi. AT&T actually opted against carrying the G7 ThinQ in order to gain this exclusivity. Now that LG officially announced the V35, we can understand why. The specs are so similar to the G7 ThinQ, it would be hard to sell both well.
Project Fi, however, will attempt to do just that, as they will carry both the G7 ThinQ and the V35 ThinQ. These phones, along with the Moto G6, will be the first phones carried by the Google-created wireless carrier that don't have an Android One variant. Therefore, LG will be handling updates (something they promise will get better).
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 with 6 GB of RAM
The biggest change between the V35 ThinQ and the V30 of last year will be an upgrade to the chipset. The V35 ThinQ will share the same processor as the G7 ThinQ (and more than likely the V40), with its use of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. This upgrade will add a noticeable difference in performance, whether you are a gamer, a power user, or a casual user. Additionally, it will be paired with 6 GB of RAM, making multi-tasking a breeze.
6" 2880 X 1440p OLED Display
The V35 ThinQ will retain the same 6-inch 18:9 POLED display from last year's V30. While the display has been plagued by controversy, it appears LG is sticking with their in-house panel. It is also one of the few changes between this device and the G7 ThinQ, a difference which may be carried in a future iteration of both series.
The screen has a resolution of 2880 x 1440 and will be surrounded by Gorilla Glass 5 for top-tier protection against scratches and minor drops. The screen supports HDR10, so Netflix and YouTube videos that support HDR can be enjoyed as intended.
Dual 16 MP Rear Cameras
It appears LG is bringing the same cameras from the G7 ThinQ to the V35. The V35 ThinQ will have dual 16 MP cameras arranged horizontally. The primary lens will have f/1.6 aperture, a 71° field of view, use a glass lens, and support 10-bit HDR. The second lens will have a 107-degree field of view (wide-angle) and f/1.9 aperture.
The selfie camera will be an 8 MP wide angle lens (107°) with f/1.9 aperture. And just like with every ThinQ branded phone, the V35 will be AI enhanced.
Machine Learning Enhancement
Similar to Huawei, LG believes AI is the next step in the evolution of smartphones and hopes the technology will help differentiate their flagship from other Android phones on the market. Therefore, LG has added the ThinQ branding to all their flagship devices this year, and with that comes a number of upgrades.
With AI Cam, camera settings are recommended based on the object in the viewfinder. The V35 ThinQ features 19 shooting modes that the AI Cam can recommend based on the things found in the viewfinder. The AI Cam in the G7 ThinQ will also offer "enhanced filter options" based on parameters such as color, contrast, and saturation. We believe this same feature will make its way to V35 ThinQ as well.
The V35 ThinQ also has a rebranded Bright Mode known as the Super Bright Camera. First introduced in the V30S ThinQ, this allows the phone to do a better job at low light photography by using algorithms to brighten images by a factor of two, resulting in a lower resolution photo with improved exposure. The new feature, according to LG, will offer significant improvements in low-light conditions over both its predecessor and last year's V30.
Google Lens is also integrated into the camera, making it easy to learn more information about an object in your viewfinder. Information ranges from an object's history to where you can purchase it for the lowest price. Additionally, you can use Google Lens in both Google Photos and Google Assistant (a feature only a select number of phones have access to).
Google Assistant has also been enhanced on the device thanks to the inclusion of exclusive commands that provide new controls over LG devices. These commands include requests that take advantage of the specific hardware of the phone, allowing for commands such as "take a wide-angle selfie." There are 32 exclusive commands that take advantage of the new hardware and internals, making it much easier to control your device.
Additionally, LG included the G7 ThinQ's Super Far Field Voice Recognition technology which allows Google Assistant to process commands up to 16.4 feet away. The new technology can also decipher your voice commands even over background noises, so you can truly use your phone hands-free.
High-Quality Audio
A staple in the V series, the V35 includes the famous Hi-Fi 32-bit Quad DAC to enhance the audio experience of the 3.5 mm headphone jack. Music will never sound as clear and rich as on the V35 ThinQ thanks to this feature, which can drive even the most expensive high-quality headphones.
Additionally, for movie watchers, LG also included support for DTS:X 3D Surround Sound. This software allows your headphones to output surround sound (up to 7.1). While the quality takes a hit, it does enhance the movie-watching experience by allowing the sound to be heard all around you.
And with Android 8.0 Oreo, LG V35 ThinQ will enjoy access to Hi-Fi audio codecs used by high-quality Bluetooth headphones. Therefore, whether you are listening to music using wired headphones or wireless, you can still enjoy the highest quality sound.
Quick Charging & IP68 Rating
Powering this device is a 3,300 mAh battery, the same as its predecessor and 300 mAh more than the G7 ThinQ. Like its predecessor, the V35 ThinQ supports Quick Charge 3.0, allowing for fast charging times. Wireless charging is also supported thanks to its glass back.
The V35 ThinQ is also a tank, offering both IP68 water and dust resistance (the highest rating for smartphones) and is MIL-STD 810G Compliant. The latter is a certification created by the military that is only awarded to devices that survive the harshest of environments.
Price & Availability
While pricing wasn't announced in LG's official press release, we do know what the MSRP will be thanks to Project Fi. Project Fi announced they would also be carrying this device (alongside AT&T) and revealed the price: $899.
As for availability, neither the carriers nor LG revealed this information. All we know is that it's coming soon.
What do you think of the LG V35 ThinQ? Are you interested in this product? Do you wish LG would reduce its price? Let us know in the comments below.
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