Korean tech company LG has announced that anyone who buys its upcoming V20 smartphone will receive B&O PLAY headphones at no extra cost.
The LG V20 will be going into battle with the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and the Apple iPhone 7, and LG is making an effort to make its new flagship handset stand out, writes James Laird for Trusted Reviews.
LG ups the stakes with V20 smartphone
Recently the news broke that the LG V20 would be the first smartphone to run Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box, and this latest move will do no harm to the attempts to get an upper hand on its rivals. The latest development was outlined in a press release, and is the latest in a series of agreements between LG and B&O Play.
“The collaboration with LG provides a wonderful opportunity to showcase B&O PLAY’s expertise in terms of audio technology, design excellence and user-centred philosophy. With the new LG V series smartphone, users will experience a new premium sound experience that they have never heard before,” said B&O PLAY president Henrik Taudorf Lorensen.
“I’m pleased about our close partnership with B&O PLAY which started earlier this year with Hi-Fi Plus with B&O PLAY and continues today with the V20,” said Juno Cho, president of LG Electronics and Mobile Communications.
Audio a priority for the LG V20
The inclusion of the headphones adds to an impressive audio offering on the LG V20. It was recently announced that the smartphone would be the first ever to sport a 32-bit Quad DAC chip
It remains to be seen how good the headphones are, given that they are reportedly being developed specifically for LG. B&O is well known for its audio products under the Bang & Olufsen luxury brand, but B&) PLAY is a distinct entry aimed at a slightly more accessible price point.
However it must be said that any B&O PLAY product will likely be better than the normal smartphone headphones, which are barely worthy of the name. The move also works to underline LG’s commitment to high-quality audio on its smartphones.
New flagship to take on big rivals Apple and Samsung
The company has scheduled a launch event for the LG V20 on September 6. Apple is expected to launch its iPhone 7 around the same time.
In contrast to the quality audio kit that is planned for the LG V20, Apple is apparently planning an audio shakeup which may leave users worse off. Rumor has it that the California-based company is set to get rid of the 3.5mm headphone jack on its new smartphone, relying instead on the Lightning port or Bluetooth to listen to music.
The move has led to criticism from varying quarters, who are unhappy at the prospect of having to use bulky adapters if they don’t want to invest in new accessories. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has also criticized the rumored move, saying that Apple’s Bluetooth technology simply isn’t good enough for high-quality audio as things stand.
Wozniak says that he would also like to see USB Type-C connectors on Apple iPhone 7 smartphones. The technology has already been included on smartphones from Samsung and Google, as well as various laptops and tablets.
Whatever happens in the smartphone market in these coming months it certainly won’t be dull. Keep your eyes out for more rumors, speculation and, eventually, some official announcements.
