Modular smartphone available globally this week
Starting this week, LG Electronics (LG) will begin reaching global markets with its LG G5 modular smartphone. The LG G5 will debut in South Korea on 31 March and the US on 1 April, to be followed by countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, among others. Approximately 200 carriers and operators worldwide have committed to offer the G5 in their local markets.
As demonstrated at its unveiling at Mobile World Congress last month in Barcelona, LG G5 is a showcase of cutting edge technologies and rich features thoughtfully designed deliver a more playful user experience. The device walked away with a record 33 awards including Best New Smartphone at MWC 2016 from the GSMA’s Glomo Awards, the mobile industry’s longest established awards platform for innovation, excellence and achievement.
“Since MWC, LG G5 and Friends have captured the imagination of consumers everywhere with its engaging take on mobile technology,” said Juno Cho, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “Modularity has been talked about for years but no one was able to consumerise it until now and we’re happy to take on the mantle.”
Engagement comes in the form of dual 78-degree and 135-degree camera lenses for ultra wide angle shots, an Always-on Display that requires no button-pressing to get the latest information and Dolby Digital Plus and 7.1 channel audio for cinema-style sound that delivers dialogue and nuanced effects clearly even in loud environments. LG G5 also supports IFTTT (If This Then That), a smart solution that allows users to create a series of action programmes called recipes to boost productivity and efficiency.
LG also stated it has simplified the graphical user interface with a simple, flat look while applying a bright colour combination and a semi-transparent blur effect to the GUI.
This week LG additionally announced it is introducing a new version of its mobile user interface, LG UX 5.0. Designed for a more playful and innovative mobile experience, LG UX 5.0 will offer advanced features and greater convenience not only for LG G5 users but owners of upcoming smartphone models as well.
The highlight of LG UX 5.0 is LG Friends Manager, a versatile application that enables users to easily connect with and control the modules and accessories known as LG Friends. LG Friends Manager intuitively detects nearby accessories for easy pairing with LG G5, easily downloading and installing all the required apps from the Google Play Store.
LG Friends Manager generates a different display for each LG Friend. When paired with the 360 CAM, the screen on the G5 will display photo previews and the available shooting modes. The Friends Camera Album in the Gallery enables users to categorise and manage images captured with LG Friends such as 360 CAM and Rolling Bot.
