LG announces UI for unannounced smartphone
As it often does ahead of a big new smartphone announcement, LG has started the process of pre-announcing its next big thing. Today, a news release from the company takes the wraps off the LG V30’s’s software suite, giving us our first look at the UI we’ll be using on the upcoming flagship. The new LG UX 6.0+ tunes up the visuals, with a rounded, Galaxy S8-style search bar, a simplified weather widget and a new Floating Bar feature, alongside new camera, security and Always-On Display tricks.
The Floating Bar is pitched as the successor to the LG V20’s second display, effectively confirming the ticker panel’s demise. LG doesn’t go into great detail about what you’ll be able to do with this panel, only saying it’ll be used “for quick access to frequently used functions.” The feature sounds similar to Samsung’s Edge Display, though it doesn’t appear to dominate the entire display like that feature does.
The new LG UI also brings new photographic capabilities. In today’s presser, LG reveals its new “Graphy” feature in the camera’s manual mode. Graphy will allow V30 owners to download and share presets (ISO, white balance, shutter speed, etc.) used by professionals to capture specific kinds of shots. LG also promises quick and easy GIF creation, and new movie creation tricks. (Think video highlights.)
LG’s upcoming phone borrows a lot of new features from the Galaxy S8.
LG’s Always-On Display has been re-tooled too, thanks in part to the V30’s OLED panel. New features include the ability to display “Quick Tools” (likely some kind of shortcut menu), music controls, or your photos.
On the security front, the V30 will apparently include always-on face recognition, active even when the display is off, without pressing the power button. (Likely using some secondary sensors to detect motion, as keeping the front camera active constantly would be a massive battery drain.) And voice recognition through Qualcomm’s Aqstic voice UI will allow V30 owners to securely unlock their phones through a predetermined wake phrase. (We’ll have to see how convenient that ends up being.)
Not mentioned in today’s press release: whether the V30 will follow in its predecessor’s footsteps and be the first device to ship with a new version of Android. The V20 was (just about) first with Nougat in 2016, but LG hasn’t said whether its latest handset will debut with Android O.
There’s been plenty of LG V30 leakage in recent weeks, with major hardware specs set to include a Snapdragon 835 processor, 6GB of RAM, 64 or 128GB of storage and a new dual camera system led by an f/1.6 main shooter. We’ll learn more at the official launch event in Berlin, German on August 31.
LG V30
- LG V30: Everything you need to know!
- Latest render shows LG V30 alongside Galaxy Note 8
- LG V30 will have curved OLED display
- LG V30 will be announced on August 31
- Join our LG V30 forums
SEOUL, Aug. 14, 2017 — The new UX 6.0+ to make its debut in the upcoming V30 from LG Electronics (LG) is an advanced version of LG’s UX that has been optimized to work even better with the immersive 18:9 OLED FullVision display while offering more personalization options for a more intuitive user experience. Featuring the company’s first OLED FullVision display and an advanced dual lens camera, the LG V30 is a powerful multimedia tool and the new UX is designed so that users can leverage its advanced capabilities to the fullest.
Graphy, which can be accessed in the camera’s Manual Mode, gives any shutterbug professional quality photography capabilities. With Graphy, users can choose from among a portfolio of professional shots, each with a different style and mood or they can download photos taken by professionals from the Graphy website or mobile app and apply those metadata presets – such as white balance, shutter speed, aperture and ISO – to photos taken with the V30. Different shooting modes such as auto, grid shot, snap shot and match shot are conveniently grouped under one menu for ease of selection. GIFs can be quickly created in the Gallery menu while the Create Movie option allows for the creation of movie using photos and/or video files which can then be edited in the included Quick Video Editor.
The Second Screen in the LG V20 has evolved to become Floating Bar on the V30. The semi-transparent Floating Bar allows for quick access to frequently used functions and can be dragged completely off the FullVision display when not needed. When powered off, the Always-on Display is even more customizable than before. The AOD now not only shows the clock, it can also be set to display Quick Tools, Music Player or a personal photograph as well.
Security features in the LG V30 are also more advanced than in LG’s previous smartphone UX. Using Face Recognition, the V30 can be unlocked instantaneously using the front facing camera even when the phone’s display is off. And there is no need to press the power button first, unlike on other phones. Voice Recognition uses a combination of the user’s voice and self-generated keywords (ideally three to five syllables combined) to unlock the V30 without the need to press a button or swipe the screen. It is supported by Qualcomm Aqstic voice UI technology for always-on, always-listening capabilities that requires very little battery power.
Even the feel of the UX can be tailored to users’ preference. Haptic feedback on the LG V30 can be customized with various included vibration combinations that can be matched to the phone’s ringtone.
