LG V20 debuts as Android 7.0 smartphone with dual displays and dual rear cameras

In 2015, LG brought two flagships to market: the G4 and V10. Now LG is repeating itself in 2016 by bringing two more flagships: the G5 in April and now the V20.

The LG V20 places a major focus on its cameras. On the back of the V20 lives a 16-megapixel standard lens and an 8-megapixel wide-angle lens, and it's also got what LG is calling Hybrid Auto Focus. HAF offers laser autofocus, phase detection autofocus, and contrast autofocus. Also included with the V20 is Electronic Image Stabilization 3.0 for reducing shaky video capture.

Another big focus of the V20 is its audio. The LG V20 includes a Hi-Fi Quad DAC (digital to analog converter) that promises to minimize distortion and ambient noise by up to 50 percent. LG also partnered with B&O Play to fine-tune the V20's audio. LG notes, though, that the V20 with B&O tuning is "available in specific markets only."

LG is also talking up the body of the V20, which is made of a lightweight aluminum. The corners of the phone are covered with silicone polycarbonate to help reduce shock, and LG says that the V20 passed MIL-STD 810G Transit Drop Test. That means that the V20 was dropped on its front, back, sides, and corners from four feet up and kept on ticking.

As with the LG V10, the V20 boasts a secondary display above its main 5.7-inch 2560×1440 screen. This secondary display has a resolution of 160×1040 and can be used for app shortcuts, accessing quick settings, and expanding lengthy notifications.

The rest of the LG V20 spec list includes a Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of built-in storage, a microSD slot for adding even more storage, NFC, USB Type-C, and a fingerprint reader. There's also a 3,200mAh battery that you can remove by pressing the button on the bottom of the V20's right side.

On the software side, the LG V20 will launch with Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box. It'll also come equipped with LG UX 5.0+, which you can get a preview of above.

The LG V20 will launch in Korea this month, followed by rollouts in other regions. It'll be offered in Titan, Silver, and Pink color options.

Overall, the LG V20 looks like a mix of old and new features. It's got some of what made the V10 stand out, like a focus on multimedia and its unique second screen, and LG also kept the removable battery and microSD slot found on the V10. LG got rid of the front dual cameras of the V10 and put the dual cameras on the back of the V20, though, and it ditched the rubber back of the V10 for a metal back on the V20. That metal back gives it a premium look and feel, but some folks might miss the grippiness of the V10's backside.

Now that it's officially official, what do you think of the LG V20? Will it be your next phone?

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