LG G8 ThinQ's OLED Display to Double Up as a Speaker

LG is set to introduce its G8 ThinQ smartphone at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2019 later this month, and the recent leaks suggest that the phone will sport a display notch, a dual real camera setup, a rear fingerprint sensor, and a glossy back panel finish. Now, the company has confirmed that the LG G8 ThinQ will pack Crystal Sound OLED (CSO) technology that utilises the phone's OLED display as an audio amplifier.

LG says that CSO repurposes the OLED display as a diaphragm, vibrating the entire surface to produce sound, eliminating the need to place your ear on a receiver. However, during the speakerphone mode, the audio is delivered through the bottom speaker. The CSO had only been used in LG TVs so far, but it is now trickling down to the smartphones as well. The company claims that CSO takes advantage of the entire display, improving clarity and making voices easier to discern and subtle musical notes more noticeable. Additionally, LG noted that the LG G8 ThinQ will be able to produce 2-channel audio by using the bottom speaker and the top part of the display. LG has partnered with Meridien for audio tech on the smartphone.

Ahead of the launch, LG has also confirmed that the G8 ThinQ will support DTS:X 3D Surround Sound, Hi-Fi Quad DAC, and Master Quality Authenticated (MQA). It will also pack Boombox Speaker for enhanced audio experience, like its predecessor.

Renders of the LG G8 ThinQ have leaked on several occasions, and the phone is largely expected to sport a dual rear camera setup, a fingerprint scanner at the back, glossy back panel finishes in different colours, and wide notch up front.

The specifications include ToF (Time-of-Flight) technology-backed front camera for more accurate 3D facial recognition and better depth estimation for bokeh effects, a 3,400mAh battery, and a 6.1-inch display with 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The phone is said to be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC. The LG G8 ThinQ will allegedly be priced at CAD 1,199.99 (roughly Rs. 64,300) for the 128GB variant. As we reported earlier, LG will be unveiling the G8 ThinQ on February 24 in Barcelona on the sidelines of MWC 2019.

Will MWC 2019 introduce port-less phones to the world? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.