Metal-clad LG V20 with dual-camera, enhanced audio features launched

South Korean consumer electronics giant LG unveiled the second generation V series flagship smartphone V20 on Tuesday in San Francisco.

The new V20 comes with huge upgrades both in terms of exterior look and internal hardware over its predecessor. However, it holds on to one signature feature, which is the secondary "Always On" ticker display we see in V10.

The new V20 comes covered with high-grade AL6013-series aluminium, which is said to be used in the making of airplanes, sailboats and mountain bikes. Though the use of the metal has taken away the rugged appeal, the company has taken measures to increase its durability by adding Silicone Polycarbonate (Si-PC) flaps on top and at the bottom.

SI-PC material is said to be used in the making of helmets and the ones used in V20 have passed MIL-STD 810G Transit Drop Test conducted by independent laboratory that conforms to U.S. military standards, LG said.

Another notable aspect of LG V20 is its primary camera. It boasts 16MP+8MP dual-cameras — one with a standard 78-degree lens and another with a 135-degree wide-angle lens -- the same as the LG G5.

The 135-degree lens offers a viewing angle approximately 1.7 times wider than those of existing smartphone cameras and 15 degrees wider than the human eye's field of view.

Also read: LG G5 Review: A knight with not so shining armour

LG V20 is said to be the world's first smartphone to feature a 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC, which promises to deliver clearer sound by minimising distortion and ambient noise by up to 50 percent. It also features Hi-Fi Video Recording , Steady Record 2.0, HD Audio Recorder, Studio Mode and high AOP Mic.

Under the hood, the 5.7-inch LG V20 comes packed with Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 quad-core CPU, 4GB RAM, 64GB inbuilt storage, 5MP front camera with F/1.9 aperture, wide-angle field of view, a 3,200mAh battery (removable) with Qualcomm Quick Charge v3.0 feature. LV V20 is touted to be the world's first Android phone to come with v7.0 Nougat mobile OS out-of-the-box.

"The LG V20 is designed to offer customers a more dynamic experience by building on the most popular video and audio features of the V series," Juno Cho, president of LG Electronics and Mobile Communications Company, said in a statement.

"With the LG V20, we are giving our customers more of everything they love and less of anything they don't need to set a new standard for premium smartphones," Cho added.

LG V20 release details:

The company has confirmed that LG V20 will hit stores initially in the home market of South Korea this month and later to other regions. It is said to come in three colour options -- titan, silver and pink.

However, the price details of the new LG v20 are still under wraps. It is expected to be revealed during the local launch events later in the month.

When it is coming to India?

Last week, LG announced that V20 will be made available in India within one month of its launch. So, we expect the company to release it by the end of September.

Read more: LG V20: First non-Nexus smartphone running Android Nougat coming to India in September

Key specifications of LG V20: