LG has announced that buyers of its forthcoming V20 modular smartphone will get B&O PLAY headphones bundled with their handset at no extra cost as it looks to take the fight to the iPhone 7 and Galaxy S8.

Combined with being one of the first non-Nexus devices to get Android Nougat, LG looks like it’s seriously upping the smartphone stakes as it gets set to unveil its next flagship.

Related: Android Nougat update – When will my phone get it?

News of the latest development in the growing partnership between LG and B&O PLAY was announced by the two companies in a predictably glowing press release.

“The collaboration with LG provides a wonderful opportunity to showcase B&O PLAY’s expertise in terms of audio technology, design excellence and user-centred philosophy. With the new LG V series smartphone, users will experience a new premium sound experience that they have never heard before,” said B&O PLAY president Henrik Taudorf Lorensen.

Juno Cho, president of LG Electronics and Mobile Communications, added: “I’m pleased about our close partnership with B&O PLAY which started earlier this year with Hi-Fi Plus with B&O PLAY and continues today with the V20.”

The LG V20, of course, has been long rumoured to feature above-average audio – we already know it’s going to be the first phone to pack a 32-bit Quad DAC chip, for example.

What remains to be seen is the quality of the B&O PLAY earbuds, which are apparently being developed specially for LG.

While B&O has a long lineage in high-end audio, its B&O PLAY sub-unit is a distinct entity from the original luxury Bang & Olufsen brand, focussing on (comparatively) more entry-level consumer products rather than pricey audiophile kit.

Whatever the case, the V20’s B&O-made headphones can’t really be any worse than the Happy Meal-quality buds that usually ship with smartphones, so we’re definitely keen to watch this space.

The LG V20 is set to be unveiled at a special launch event on September 6, though whether or not it eventually makes its way to the UK remains to be seen.

Watch: What type of headphones should you buy?

Does the inclusion of B&O PLAY headphones tempt you towards the LG V2? Let us know in the comments below.