OLED panel on LG G8 ThinQ will deliver "high-quality audio"

LG announced this morning that the LG G8 ThinQ flagship phone will be equipped with a new feature called Crystal Sound OLED (CSO). With this technology, the OLED panel on the phone will vibrate in order to produce high quality audio. Using the entire screen, voices become clearer and music sounds better. CSO was invented by LG as a way to provide its customers with a great audio experience when streaming video and music, and when playing mobile video games on a smartphone.

In speakerphone mode, audio passes through the bottom speaker "with impressive bass," and audio can be heard in stereo using the bottom speaker and the top of the display on the LG G8 ThinQ. Without requiring a speaker on the top of the phone. LG says that CSO helps give the LG G8 ThinQ "a clean, minimalist look."

Other audio features coming to LG's next flagship phone include DTS:X 3D Surround Sound. This provides users with a 7.1-channel system with or without earphones, and is a first for LG. The handset reproduces sound with amazing fidelity thanks to the Hi-Fi Quad DAC, and the Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) supports high-quality streaming even if the user does not have an unlimited data plan. First seen on the LG G7 ThinQ, the LG G8 ThinQ will come with the Boombox speaker technology to take advantage of the larger resonance chamber found inside the phone. This produces a rich bass sound and loud volume. Placing the handset on a table or another solid surface will make the device sound even louder through the use of vibrations.

Renders that leaked out the other day show that the LG G8 ThinQ will have thinner bezels, a dual camera setup on back, and rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. The device should carry a 6.1-inch OLED panel carrying a resolution of 1440 x 3120 (QHD+). That works out to a tall and thin aspect ratio of 19.5:9. The Qualcomm 855 Mobile Platform is expected to be under the hood, along with a minimum of 6GB RAM and most likely 128GB of internal storage. A 3400mAh battery is expected to be on board as is a 3.5mm headphone jack. The latter will be found on the bottom of the phone. Android 9 Pie should be pre-installed, and the unit will have an IP rating of 68. That means the device can be submerged in nearly 5 feet of water for as long as 30 minutes, and escape unscathed.

A press release issued by LG the other day revealed that the LG G8 ThinQ will be able to map faces in 3D using a Time-of-Flight system. This measures the time it takes for an infrared signal to bounce off a subject and return to the source. The technology produces more accurate images for facial recognition, and will also provide the flagship model with "unmatched camera capabilities."

The LG G8 ThinQ will be unveiled on February 24th, and based on speculation that the handset will cost $1,199 in Canada, we could see the unit go for about $900 in the states. Last year, the LG G7 ThinQ was priced at $799.