LG V30+ alpha with AI chops to debut MWC instead of LG G7

2018 will be a confusing year for LG, both for the company itself but most especially for its customers. To address its floundering mobile phone business, the company has decided to adopt a devil may care attitude and throw all caution to the wind. It will release phones only when they think they need to and not when everyone else does. Heck, it won't even release an LG G7, if that's still its name, in early 2018. What it might show at MWC next month will simply be an enhanced LG V30+ instead.

LG is pretty much doing an overhaul of its smartphone strategy without making it look that way. And still somewhat failing. It already hinted that it would be putting out less phones instead of flooding the market and seeing which phones stick. And then at the end of CES, it was revealed that LG Electronics' top man ordered a complete halt to current developments on the LG G7 and to start from scratch, possibly delaying the 2018 flagship for months.

Of course, that means it will not have anything new to show off at MWC 2018. Well, at least nothing completely new. Word on the street is that LG is planning to unveil a new variant of its late 2018 flagship, the LG V30. Since there's already an LG V30+, this new one will be called the LG V30+α (alpha) instead. And what has changed? Probably nothing much.

We aren't yet hearing of any new features other than enhanced AI capabilities. Particularly, Google Assistant integration. That doesn't seem far-fetched considering LG's close ties with Google. Many of its smart products at CES 2018, from speakers to smart display, do integrate Google Assistant already. The feature, however, is hardly worth drooling over on a late 2018 phone.

LG could get away with a revamped LG V30+ for MWC, considering it is only six months since the V30 was launched, even less for the V30+. LG will, however, miss out on the new wave of phones riding on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. Then again, the LG G6 last year didn't use the Snapdragon 835 anyway, so it might be for the best.

VIA: The Korea Herald