LG G8 ThinQ smartphone makes OLED screen vibrate for sound

The LG G8 ThinQ smartphone gets a screen that also works as an audio amplifier. According to LG, the phone therefore produces better sound and there is more screen space due to the lack of user-facing speakers.

The system developed by LG uses the OLED screen as a membrane and by making it vibrate, sound is created. Because it uses the entire display, LG says CSO technology produces a clearer sound than normal phone speakers and makes voices and subtle musical notes easier to hear. The technology is somewhat similar to the system that Sony uses with its OLED TVs, where sound comes from the screen.

The phone also has a speaker on the bottom; which is intended for the bass tones when the loudspeaker function is on. In addition, stereo sound is possible when the bottom speaker and the top half of the screen are used for audio. The G8 ThinQ can use the internal space as a sound box to create extra bass and volume, according to the manufacturer.

LG also reports that the phone supports DTS:X to emulate a 7.1 sound system. This can be done with or without headphones. In addition, the G8 includes a quad-dac and support for MQA files. An algorithm is used with which high-res music files can be compressed further than with, for example, flac. The LG V30 and G7 ThinQ also have MQA support.

It was previously announced that the phone will receive a sensor to make accurate depth images. This sensor can also be used to unlock the phone with facial recognition. That sensor probably comes together with two other lenses or sensors in a notch in the screen on the back, according to recent renders. LG will present the phone at the end of this month in Barcelona at the Mobile World Congress.

LG shows how the technology works