LG Electronics unwraps first G5 modular smartphone

John Davidson is attending Mobile World Congress in Barcelona as a guest of Samsung. When asked about pricing, LG Canada said it wasn’t ready to share details yet.

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.

Another module, LG Hi-Fi Plus with B&O Play, adds audio Hi-Fi audio capabilities to the G5 – and can also stand on its own as a portable Hi-Fi player. It is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 SoC paired with 4GB of RAM, 32GB of onboard storage along with microSD card slot to expand it further.

LG latest smartphone under its flagship, it sports a 5.3-inch Quad HD IPS Quantum display with 2560 x 1440 pixels resolution and density of 554ppi. Users will be able to pop out the phone’s bottom and swap in new hardware features.

Other practical features include two main-camera lenses, one with 78-degree les and one with wide-angle 135-degree lens, to allow for continuous zooming to take a wide-angle shot in cases when it isn’t practical to step back to get everyone or everything into the shot, the spokesperson said. The two rear cameras can be operated separately or simultaneously to create special effects. It features an an 8MP front facing camera.

LG 360 VR: The company’s first virtual reality headset, the LG 360 VR can only be used with the LG G5 via a wired connection – unlike the Google Cardboard, which requires you to insert the smartphone in the body. Remove the battery and insert the Cam Plus to turn your smartphone into a powerful digital camera.

The LG G5 comes with dual camera setup.

Perhaps the most notable feature of the G5 is its modular design. These extra modules are aptly named “LG Friends”, which are all a big part of the new “LG Playground” – an extended effort to bring excitement back into smartphones. What do you make of the LG G5?

O2 has confirmed that it plans to offer the LG G5 when it goes on sale, specifically mentioning the phone’s availability on the “Refresh” tariff.

LG G5 day is here.

LG has opted for the newish USB C slot, which means it charges fast and can be plugged in upright or upside down – it’s all the same. It has also been refashioned with metal and curved body.

Another accessory is the hand-held LG 360 CAM, which captures 360-degree video and works with any Android phone via Wi-Fi.

Last but not least, the H3 by B&O Play high-end earphones announced by LG today are supposed to deliver the 32-bit sound of the LG Hi-Fi Plus with B7O Play.

LG Smart Controller allows users to easily control certain drones and users can check the video stream from the drone through the LG G5 in real time.