LG V40 ThinQ will have a grippy glass rear and new color options

The LG V40 ThinQ hasn't been officially unveiled yet, but that hasn't stopped the South Korean firm from confirming small details about the handset, with the latest leak revealing some design aspects.

Many of today's smartphones feature glass front and rears, which in turn means there isn't a huge amount of grip on offer. With the V40 however, LG is looking to change that.

"To deliver the most satisfyingly smooth sensation in the hand, LG employed a proprietary Silky Blast treatment" the firm's statement reads "to etch microscopic pits on the rear glass of the LG V40 ThinQ." LG also claims this will reduce the appearance of fingerprints on the surface.

Now we're not sure about the name for the treatment, or how it will look or feel in the hand, but it does sound similar to the laser-etched lines on the mid-range HTC U12 Life we got hands on with earlier this year.

From our experience with the HTC, we can confirm this type of finish on glass does make it more grippy, so it should be good news for the accident prone when the LG V40 ThinQ arrives.

A new palette

The LG V40 ThinQ will be available in a range of new colors, confirmed as Aurora Black, Platinum Gray, Moroccan Blue and Carmine Red. 

It's worth noting though that the full complement of colors will unlikely hit every market, so you'll need to wait for regional availability to be announced.

LG also confirmed that the V40 ThinQ screen size will be greater than six inches, and almost half an inch larger than the 6-inch V30 and V35.

There's not long to wait for the full details though, as the LG V40 ThinQ launch date is set for October 3.

John McCann
Global Managing Editor

John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.