Richard Goodwin 04/10/2017 - 3:39pm

The LG V30 is a flagship in every sense of the word, whereas the iPhone 8 is, well… not even close

While plenty of things change in the smartphone space - indeed, pretty much everything, that's the nature of the business and one of the things which makes it so interesting - one thing that never seems to is fanboism.

Or more specifically, rabid allegations of fanboism where there is none, from people who can't take the fact some others might not like the same things they do.

So I know full well with what I'm about to say (or just the title of this article, to be honest) that Apple fans are probably going to loose their poop and claim I'm an Android fanboy for not liking the new iPhone 8 that much.

But for the record, I'm not an Android fanboy. I’m not an Apple fanboy either, however. The truth is that being a smartphone journalist grants me the luxury of having used most of what's on offer on the market; I don't have to pick sides, I use everything that comes along - some of it good, some of it...not so much.

I calls 'em like I sees 'em, and I try not to blow smoke up anybody's butt.

I have happily, indeed enthusiastically, used multiple iPhones over the years. Some of them I have really loved and at the time they came out I thought they were genuinely better than everything else out there. Likewise, I've also used a lot of Android phones. Of the Android fans I have really loved, as much as what Apple has to offer, they have mostly been Google-made ones of the Nexus and Pixel variety. Most recently the Nexus 6P has been a favourite, and subsequently the Google Pixel XL.

In the current market I am very intrigued by the prospect of the LG V30 because it is potentially one of the most well-thought-out updates to surface inside 2017, with its focus on high-end performance and user experience.

One phone I am not impressed by, though, is Apple’s iPhone 8. That handset is perhaps one of the dullest things I have experienced in my career of writing about technology. I know, I know, it’s ALL about the iPhone X in 2017/18. But still… that doesn’t mean the iPhone 8 had to suck.

When I read about new phones, I look for things that set them apart from the crowd, things that show initiative, stuff that I want and will actually use. And when I look and read about the LG V30, I get the fizz – it ticks a lot of my boxes.

  • It has a DAC, for instance, for HD audio.
  • It has an amazing OLED display.
  • It has a new, eye-catching design that looks sleek and smart.
  • It has a MASSIVELY updated dual-lens camera that features OIS combined with a wide f/1.6 aperture and a 120º field of view, as well as a whole host of software features.

The V30 also features four advanced unlock options as well.

"With Face Recognition," says LG, "the V30 can be unlocked using the front-facing camera without pressing any buttons even when the phone’s display is off. Voice Recognition uses a combination of the user’s voice and user-defined keywords to unlock the V30. The reliable Fingerprint Sensor resides on the rear of the phone for fast, accurate security, and Knock Code allows tapping a pattern on the screen to unlock the V30."

It also comes with a two-year warranty. 

And then I look at the iPhone 8, which I am currently testing, and I feel like I got inside a time machine and went back to 2014.

The iPhone 8 looks like the iPhone 7, which looked like the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6. It has the same display resolution as the iPhone 5, you still can’t move around icons inside iOS 11 in a simple manner, and, to top it all off, it costs MORE money than the iPhone 7!

Basically, what I’m saying here is this: if you don’t want to spend $1000 on a phone, then now’s the time to get your ass out of the Apple ecosystem and join the real party, where things are actually happening.

The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are coming. The Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 are already here. And the LG V30 is now up for pre-order. Hell, I’d actually rather get the iPhone 7 Plus over the iPhone 8 right now, as it costs less and is just as good – even more so when you go the reconditioned route via somewhere like Gazelle.

When I get a new phone, I want it to excite me. I want it to have new and exciting features or, failing that, things that are useful in everyday settings – things like a DAC, which will massively upgrade the sound quality produced by a phone.

What I don’t want is the same phone I already have just with a new CPU and wireless charging, which has been around since before the iPhone 5. And I definitely don’t want to have to pay EVEN MORE for all of this.

By anybody’s logic, it makes ZERO sense. How can Apple sit there and charge you MORE for this phone? 

This is likely why no one was queuing up for Apple’s iPhone 8 this year.

If You Want The LG V30, Get It From Sprint

Why? Simple: the carrier has a pretty insane deal running for the LG V30, which goes a little something like this:

  • Although other major U.S. carriers will have LG V30, Sprint’s premium LG V30+ boasts twice the onboard memory – 128GB– and a higher quality sound experience for music and video enjoyment.
  • V30+ will be available in all Sprint stores, at www.sprint.com and by calling 1-800-SPRINT1 beginning on Oct. 13 for just $38 per month with Sprint Flex and $0 down
  • For a limited time, new and upgrading Sprint customers can choose LG V30+ with Sprint Flex and will get a second lease on us – that is just $38 per month for two.