LG’s V40 ThinQ will arrive at Australian retailers in February 2019 for $1,299

LG’s V40 ThinQ is due for launch at Australian retailers JB Hi-fi and Mobilciti in early February 2019, four months after its international launch, for $1,299.

The V-series phones have seen an increased focus from the Korean manufacturer after the initial success of the V10 and V20 phones (the latter of which was the first to launch in Australia). The critical and market success saw LG pull out all stops for last year’s V30, and ensured that the V-series became LG’s annual later-half premier smartphone release.

On the face of it, the V40 ThinQ looks the goods. It’s a 6.4-inch OLED full-screen notched display (with a slim bottom bezel), and comes in “New Platinum Grey” and “New Moroccan Blue” colours (two of the four colours available globally). The rear of the phone features a matte tempered glass that should help with grip and fingerprint resistance.

Internally, the phone is running a Snapdragon 845 processor with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. MicroSD expansion is supported, and there’s a 3,300mAh battery powering it all. Notably, the phone is also launching with Android 8.1 in an Android 9.0 world.

There’s a focus on audio performance too, with the V40 bringing back the “Boombox” feature of the V30 that enhances the bass performance of the phone’s speakers. The phone’s audio also brings back the 32-bit Hi-fi Quad DAC that LG has become known for, now carrying the Audio Tuned by Meridian label – a first for an LG phone.

The rear camera array sees the addition a 12MP sensor behind a 2x telephoto lens to LG’s standard+wide sensor array. In many ways this evens out some of the multi-camera stakes, with Huawei’s Mate 20 series recently going the other way and adding 0.6x wide-angle functionality (something LG users have enjoyed for a while now). It seems the triple-camera standard is now becoming standard+wide+zoom lenses – something for every situation.

The V40 also has two front-facing sensors, a standard 8MP sensor and a 5MP wide-angle sensor that should allow you to get those wide selfies or “groupie” shots that have become a popular addition to the 2018 spec wars.

LG’s ThinQ branding has been associated with AI features, and in this case that seems to be mainly focused on the camera. LG says its AI Cam will be able to help you frame your subjects better and choose appropriate camera settings.

The phone’s local launch window (early February 2019) is a good six-to-seven weeks away, an interesting time to launch a new phone. There’s no discounting the fact that it’s a late launch for us, missing 2018’s gift-giving season by a country mile, Mobile World Congress just around the corner and there’s rumours of foldable phones coming to market earlier in the year. It’s also – at this stage – a retail-only launch, with no carriers yet announced.

Will you be seeking out the V40 ThinQ come February? Tell us in the comments!