I think most people here have completely missed the mark on who brought this phone.
LG's phones since the g3 have had enough advertising, word of mouth and good press (leaving out the bootloops notoriety) that the bulk of those buying them, bought them because of what they offered.
I remember plainly the interest that was generated by LG for the G4 when it came out. The commercials were intencing for these features and what were the alternatives.
The people who were already tired of sealed backs were looking for a alternative and found it.
LG's features is what made the faithful and there are a ton of faithful people to the brand.
Now that every tech writer, fashion expert, tech site has fallen in love with bezeless phones and water resistance, glass backs, and curved Samsung screens, these V series features are no longer in vouge people are trying to say that they never were the reasons why people bought them in the first place or just enthusiasts were is TOTAL BS...
Sure some folks who bought them may never swap batteries or use the IR blaster, but these folks either never used them before or not even know about them.
I personally know about 15 people who have the v20, and a few people who still have their v10 and 2 still use their G4. All know about the batteries and all know about the IR blaster and none of them are tech heads but just everyday people, from all walks of life.
While I know that there are a lot of ignorance in the world, but save for the G4s launch the people who are buying these phones, know darn well what they offer.. And most who walk into a carrier store aren't directed to the LG phones they have to ask for them.. When they aren't sure what they want, the vast majority of time they are led to the Samsung or Apple phones.
Is it a betrayal.. I reserve that call till I know for sure what isn't in the v30...
Mac