LG V20 announced: Removable battery, microSD, and secondary display make it an enterprise contender

After the Galaxy Note 7 recall due to battery failures, LG's continued strategy of utilizing removable batteries looks to be a safe one for enterprise customers. The LG V20 was fully revealed tonight in San Francisco and brings a lot to the table.

In addition to the removable battery, LG brings the dual camera design seen on the LG G5 to the V20. While the front camera has a single lens, LG does offer standard and wide angle selfies with this design.

Earlier this month, LG revealed the name of the new phone, while Google revealed a vague image with its Android Nougat release. The LG V20 is the successor to the excellent LG V10 we reviewed last September and builds upon that device more than the modular LG G5.

Given the lack of new modules and limited module functionality seen on the LG G5, I'm pleased with the LG V20 design returning to a more traditional removable back cover with access to the SIM card, microSD card, and removable battery. Enterprise customers appreciate a removable battery, where you can always carry spares and never worry about have a dead device while you are out on the road.

Specifications

• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
• Display: 5.7 inch 2560 x 1440 pixels resolution Quantum IPS with secondary 160 x 1040 display above the first display
• Operating system: Android 7.0 Nougat
• RAM: 4GB
• Storage: 64GB internal with microSD expansion card slot
• Cameras: Dual rear 16- and 8-megapixel cameras and a front 5-megapixel camera. Wide and standard angle modes are available for rear and front cameras.
• Battery: 3200mAh removable with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging technology through a USB Type-C port
• Dimensions: 159.7 x 78.1 x 7.6 mm and 174 grams

The three cameras are the main unique feature of the V20, with the removable battery being a distinction we rarely see in smartphones today. It is believed that Apple will implement this same type of rear dual camera technology, rather than the dual color and monochrome camera integration we see on the Huawei P9 and Honor 8.

The LG V20 also uses some new materials with a metal back cover and polycarbonate around the rest of the body.

Unlike Apple and Motorola, LG includes a standard headphone jack and then offers up a premium audio experience. You will hear the 32-bit Quad DAC of the V20 that should be more than enough to impress the audiophile in you. B&O Play audio tuning is present on the V20, but it will not be included in the devices launching in the US.

Water resistance is a feature many new smartphones have integrated in the design, but the LG V20 is not one of them. Like the V10, it does have some ruggedness to it, as it has passed the MIL-STD 810G drop test.

Pricing was not revealed, but the LG V20 should launch in the US soon. We'll hear carrier announcements with pricing over the coming weeks.