MWC 2016: Modular LG G5 Strikes For Android Superiority

LG has struck the first blow in the MWC 2016 smartphone battle with the unveiling of its new flagship smartphone, the LG G5.

Featuring a modular design that will allow users to boost the camera and audio functions of the device, which the company says allows for a better all-round mobile experience, the LG G5 also features a slide-out battery than can be replaced when worn out.

Available in four colours, the LG G5 is set for release in the UK next month, with O2 and Vodafone already confirming it will offer the device, although there’s no details on price just yet.

Ready

Weighing in at 159g and featuring an all-metal build and curved 3D Arc glass screen, the LG G5 comes with a 5.3-inch QHD IPS quantum display with an always-on function, which will continuously show time, date and battery status information, even while the screen is in sleep mode.

Inside, there’s Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 820 processor, which comes with an X12 LTE modem that supports download speeds of up to 600 Mbps, backed up by 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 32GB storage, which can be expanded up to 2TB using microSD.

LG says the life of the removable 2,800mAh battery, powered by USB-C connectivity, has been greatly lengthened thanks to Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 technology, which speeds up charging by four times, and also the company’s own Low Power Location Estimation technology, which offers up to 42 percent better efficiency by improving the power consumption related to location-based apps.

As for media, the LG G5 features two rear cameras, a 16MP main camera and a separate 8MP lens with a 135-degree wide angle lens, the widest in any current smartphone, making it perfect for landscape and group shots.

There’s also Android 6.0 Marshmallow, Bluetooth 4.2 and NFC capability, as LG looks to cover all the important bases for the modern mobile consumer – all packed into a device that is just 8.6mm thick.

Go team

Along with the G5, LG has also announced a wider family of companion devices, dubbed the LG Friends, which the company says provide a wider media and more connected experience for its users.

This family (pictured above) includes the LG 360 CAM, a compact 360-degree angle camera that can be attached to the G5 to take all-round shots, and the LG Smart Controller, which allows users to control drones and other smart devices and direct streamed video content.

Most intruiging however is the LG 360 VR, LG’s entry into the VR headset market, which can be connected with the device by a dedicated cable.

Exclusive to the G5 but able to work with Google Cardboard content, the LG 360 VR is a lightweight competitor to many current VR headsets, which need the smartphone to be inserted inside, and can even be folded up to carry around.

What do you know about the smartphones of 2015? Try our quiz!