The LG V20 is currently emerging as a tech darling in the premium smartphone category amid the dramatic fall of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, but this position has not been easily earned because the device has reportedly endured 60,000 validation tests before it was officially released into the wilds.
The extraordinary number of test done was primarily due to the objective of passing the MIL-STD-810G military certification requirements, a drop-test standard of the U.S. Department of Defense. This recently came to light during a press tour that LG gave at its sprawling 640,000-square-meter-facility in Pyeongtaek, which is located in southwestern Gyeonggi Province.
The testing procedure includes various versions of drop tests to ensure the desired endurance level. The V20 got dropped onto a steel bar, a steel ball got dropped into it, even a human was thrown into the mix for good measure to determine whether the device can withstand a person's body weight.
LG is touting the intensive level of scrutiny that its devices undergo in an apparent move to distinguish itself from Samsung's recent Note 7 misstep. Indeed, there is a low chance that vulnerabilities such as an overheating battery could pass unnoticed with the sheer number of tests conducted.
The company claims that consumers can expect that the LG V20 has been refined and optimized to address the consequences of one-meter drops, particularly in terms of hardware stability and structural integrity.
LG is careful to underscore that its facilities is not entirely made up of robots, as some sections of the assembly lines are manned by people who are testing aspects of the device such as user interface and touch sensitivity.
LG considers the V20 as a flagship device similar to the position that the Galaxy Note line occupies in the Samsung universe. It has a 5.7-inch 2,560 x 1,440 Quad HD display and is technically the first smartphone to run Android 7.0 Nougat. It is powered by a 2.15 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, which is complemented by 4 GB of RAM. It also sports interesting features such as the secondary OLED display strip above the main screen.
The LG V20 is now available for preorder at different U.S. carriers and could ship as early as Oct. 28. Carriers offer their respective installment schemes, but for those who want to buy the device at full price, they will have to shell an eye-watering amount, which range from $770 (T-Mobile) to $830 (AT&T). LG is, however, offering a free Bang & Olufsen H3 headphone.
