Officialized at Mobile World Congress 2016, the LG G5 is now official and its mission is huge: to reinvent what the android high-end smartphone is in 2016. And it looks like LG is well on its way to doing exactly that.
According to LG, the smartphone has somewhat stagnated in its design of using a smartphone. That's why this year, for Mobile World Congress 2016, it decided to reinvent the way we use our phones by officially presenting the LG G5.
The concept is to really put the smartphone back at the center of our lives,and for this the LG G5 joins forces with its "Friends". This name hides the various modules that will be available for purchase with the LG G5 and which will transform the use of the smartphone.
The LG G5 brings back its "Friends"
Take, for example, the case of the "Friends" LG Cam Plus. This is an extension to simply attach to the LG G5 battery,and allows you to add a physical extension for the control of the dual wide-angle photo sensor built into the LG G5.
This Friends really transforms the LG G5 into a digital camera: it incorporates a photo capture button, video capture button, and a small calf to control the zoom of the image. Bonus added: it incorporates an additional 1200mAh battery, bringing the LG G5 to 4000mAh battery.
For the more audiophiles, the "Friends" LG Hi-Fi Plus created in partnership with Bang olufsen allows to add a 32-bit DAC coupled with a sound amplifier at the LG G5. This one supports the DSD playback and includes a pair of H3 B-O Play headphones.
Again, this transforms the use of the LG G5, which now transforms all the phone's audio signals into a true high-quality sound experience. You don't need sacrifices or external devices to enjoy it: a simple add-on is enough.
From virtual reality headsets to 360-degree cameras
The modularity of the LG G5 already allows the capabilities of LG's latest phone to be extended beyond the usual, but LG also has an answer for all contemporary digital uses in the form of external accessories.
Starting with the LG 360 VR Headset virtual reality headset that will allow LG G5 owners to enjoy virtual reality applications and 360-degree videos easily. Unlike the Samsung Gear VR, it's slightly more self-contained by just asking to be plugged into the phone's USB-C port.
The virtual reality headset, created in collaboration with Google, will support cardboard and YouTube applications in 360 degrees as soon as it is released. The phone still does all the work, but the two 1.88-inch screens in 960×720 resolution built into the headset take care of the display. Thanks to this, the helmet is light (100 grams) and less unsightly than its competitors.
Coupled with virtual reality, LG has an answer to all other uses: home surveillance thanks to the small LG Rolling Bot robot (resembling a Sphero equipped with a camera), a control controller for drones or even a 360-degree camera.
An LG Play Ecosystem
Otherconcepts are also being created, such as LG at the end of its conference, including a portable camera that would stream its content directly to your phone in the manner of a go Pro connected to the network.
The most interesting is LG's approach to these new modules: it will be anecosystem, called "LG Play" that will require almost no technical knowledge in order to be implemented. According to LG, all you need to do is plug in, make 3 gestures (you can guess the acceptance of the device by the phone) and you can directly use your module.
Also, we understand better why LG invited us to "play more" with our phones: by re-imagining the place of the smartphone at the center of everyday life, by making it a modular platform capable of all uses in the manner of a PC, it is really possible to revolutionize the uses.
In any case, we are conquered. But it will now be necessary to win over consumers, more difficult to convince about these uses. The LG "Friends" could be just as much the most exciting new addition to smartphones of 2016 as the future red basket destocking of unsold sales. The future will tell.