Modular LG G5 flagship: Everything you need to know
March 27, 2016 • Android • LG • New Launch • News
After months of numerous rumours and leaks that the next flagship smartphone of LG will feature a modular device, the Korean company confirmed everything with the unveiling of the LG G5 at the MWC 2016 in Barcelona.
Flagship devices from LG have always featured expandable storage and a removable battery and this tradition continues with the G5. To gain access to the handset’s removable battery, users simply have to slide off the “chin” of the phone.
Aside from being able to replace the battery, the G5’s “cartridge-like” system lets users swap accessories such as a camera attachment and a Hi-Fi digital to analog converter.
Created in collaboration with Bang and Olufsen, the Hi-Fi Plus attachment allows superior audio decoding and supports up to 32-bt/384KHz high-def audio files. The CAM Plus on the other hand is a camera module that comes with physical buttons for power, shutter, zoom, and record – all built in a camera grip-like module. Once attached to the G5, the CAM Plus further adds 1,200 mAh of battery life to the handset.
Once the G5 is launched, users will have the option of modular accessories for the handset and these includes the LG 360 CAM, LG Hi-Fi Plus with B&O Play and the LG CAM Plus.
Similar to the Nexus 6P, the G5 comes with a unibody aluminum frame and a fingerprint scanner on its back panel. Unlike its predecessor though, the volume buttons of the G5 can be found on the handset’s left side. Being a fan of rear-mounted volume buttons such as on the V10 and G4, I find it strange that LG decided to have these buttons transferred to the side of the G5.
The rear of the phone houses two cameras – one standard lens and one 135-degree wide angle lens. The latter will be useful for users who want to capture more a scene without having to back up.
The front of the G5 houses its display with beautifully curved glass. It measures 5.3 inches and delivers always-on notifications and quad-HD resolution. This always-on notification is a feature that displays all of your notifications at a glance without having to touch the phone. According to LG, this feature will not use up too much battery as it only illuminates the pixels needed to display the notification.
Under the hood, the G5 has the Snapdragon 820 powering its operation. This chip doubles the speed and efficiency of its predecessor and supports 4K capture and playback. Aside from that, the G5 comes with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. As mentioned earlier, the G5 also comes with microSD card slot for memory expansion and supports up to 2TB. The handset runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box and comes with USB Type-C and QuickCharge 3.0.
We leave you with a G5 chart that explains the ecosystem of the new G5 modular concept.
