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By Joel Conceicao
Smartphone companies are locked in a continuous battle for supremacy. Dual-cameras are in vogue after Apple and Huawei kick-started the trend, and of course, we now see more brands removing headphone jacks from their phones, till it’s reached a point where having one has become a feature in itself (ridiculous, we know).
It seems that individuality and creativity is becoming a unicorn in what has become a copycat industry, although one company has admirably stuck to its guns, despite having a dismal 2017. That company is LG. Uninspiring releases marked the Korean tech giant’s year, with the G6 failing to ignite much fanfare. But that could all change with the company’s latest flagship phone – the V30+.

With a snazzy 6-inch curved display, and weighing in at 158g (making it the lightest phone in the market, not that you’d be able to tell), the V30+ looks and feels good, and is definitely LG’s best phone in years. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chip, with 4GB of RAM, and achieving an IP68 waterproof rating, the phone has all the specs you’d expect a top-of-the-line flagship to have.
But here’s exactly why it’s so great:

The Good

Camera
I’ve been told that in the next 10 years, smartphones will completely decimate the camera industry. Don’t get me wrong. DSLRs and mirrorless cams are still very relevant. It’s just that smartphone cameras are improving at a faster rate than anyone expected. I can’t even tell the difference on my Instagram feed at times when pros use their smartphones.

That said; the V30+ definitely belongs to the category of high-end smartphone shooters. Its rear dual 16-megapixel camera is a joy to shoot with, and I really enjoyed playing with the multiple software-based capture modes, especially the food one. You can check out some unedited sample shots I captured below:
The colours really pop on food modeEach shot has plenty of detailColours have punch, even in low-light settingsClarity is not a problem at nightThis is what an F1.6 aperture can doAnother aspect of the camera I liked was the secondary 13-megapixel sensor that allows you to shoot wide-angle shots. And it didn’t hurt that there was a manual mode too. The V30+ is also able to shoot 4K videos, while its new Cine Video mode tints your clips with built-in filters, though it’s not really something I’d use personally (I prefer photos over videos).
Sound
If I had to choose one word to describe the V30+’s audio capabilities, it’d be excellent. Tuned by Bang & Olufsen, a high-end Danish electronics company, the V30+ is the first smartphone in the world to support Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) technology, and that’s a big deal. For instance, music played out loud is incredibly crisp and clear.
B&O branding on the phone’s backTrue blue audiophiles would also geek out over the Hi-Fi Quad DAC settings, which can only be accessed after a pair of headphones has been plugged into the jack (yes, there is one). The DAC settings lets you calibrate your phone’s audio settings to your preferences, while there are different presets for you to try, like “Enhanced”, “Detailed”, “Live”, and “Bass”. You can also adjust the individual decibel balance for each ear.
It just goes to show that no matter how good one’s Bluetooth connection is, a headphone jack can never truly be replaced when it comes to quality sound, and the V30+ is an superb phone for music junkies. Plus, you get a very decent pair of noise-canceling headphones along with the phone. What’s there not to love?
Design
With its neatly curved bezels, and an edge-to-edge infinity display, the V30+ is simply a gorgeous phone. The classy glass front that makes up its display is complemented by a solid metal frame, ensuring that the phone is anything but flimsy, while the fingerprint sensor that’s built-in at the back has a nice tactile feel to it, and is very intuitive.
A closer look at the V30+’s dual camerasAnd even though I’m not really a fan of LG’s user interface, I do like how this phone looks when I hold it in the palm of my hand, especially when it’s on lockscreen mode. It’s definitely one stylish gadget, and personally, I feel that it looks a whole lot better than the iPhone X, which sports an odious bar right top of its screen.
The Bad
Old OS 
This is one thing I cannot wrap my head around. Why LG chose to launch the phone without the latest Android 8.1 Oreo version is beyond me. It’s not as if that will dramatically change the experience of the phone. It’s just that if I’m paying top dollar for a flagship, I would expect the latest and greatest, and the V30+ falls short in that department. 
Display
Another thing that I’m concerned with is the V30+’s P-OLED display. On high brightness, it looks fantastic. Everything is more or less crystal clear and the colours are great. It’s when it gets to low light where things start to become a little iffy (I like to use my phone at very low-light settings, because I don’t like the jarring effect of artificial light).
That’s when the screen starts to look grainy, with colours veering towards the dull side. I compared one photo on my Samsung S7 Edge to the same one on the V30+ with similar brightness settings, and surprise, surprise; Samsung actually outperformed the V30+ in terms of colour and clarity.
There is also an annoying blue-ish tint when viewing the display off-screen, but other than that, the display looks good, especially when you’re on a Netflix binge. Still, I would feel more comfortable if the V30+ didn’t have these problems in the first place, and it’s something that LG should re-assess for the next iteration of the V series.
Conclusion:  
The V30+ may not be the standout phone of the year, but it has more than enough features to please, especially when it comes to the camera and audio quality. The phone impressed even my hardcore Apple-only girlfriend, so that’s saying something.
It’s also a decent investment, especially if you’re not willing to splash the cash on the Google Pixel or iPhone X. Plus, the phone represents LG’s best showing in a long, long time, and could signal a revival for the Korean company.
The full range of the V30+The LG V30+ is retailing at $965 and is available at M1, Singtel, StarHub, and authorised retailers. The phone is available in aurora black, cloud silver, Moroccan blue, and lavender violet.
Overall rating: 4/5
For more information, visit lg.com.
 

All adventure lovers, vloggers and videographers are very familiar with the brand, GoPro. Even with non-techy people, the brand’s action camera needs little introduction.

However, GoPro announced that it would not be extending its drone line and cut nearly 20% of its global workforce (close to 300 jobs), due to the difficulty of making a substantial profit in the “extremely competitive aerial market” and restructuring of the organisation.
In 2017, the company suffered huge losses. Despite the hype around the launch of the Karma drone in mid 2016, 2,500 drones were recalled after many were falling mid-flight due to an engineering fault. When GoPro fixed the Karma and relaunched them in 2017, people were already over it and turned to other brands like DJI. The launch of the latest GoPro Hero6 Black and GoPro Fusion was not enough for the company to make up for their losses. The company said that they will completely exit the market once it has sold the remaining of its Karma inventory.


GoPro Hero6 Black $595
GoPro CEO Nick Woodman is willing to take drastic measures to turn his company around in 2018. In his statement to CNBC, Woodman hinted at the consideration of an acquisition or merger if it significantly contributed to the growth and scale of GoPro.
So what does this mean for current owners of the GoPro Karma? Not to worry. In a statement by GoPro, they pledged to “continue to provide service and support to Karma customers” despite the cessation of the production of drones.
Header Image: Business Insider
Other Images: GoPro