LG G Series Lineup: Where’s the G5 Heading?

Three of Android’s largest OEMs are allegedly gearing up to unveil their flagship devices in the first quarter of this year, and as has become a run-of-the-mill occurrence in recent years, there’s been an influx of leaks and rumors as we draw closer to the launches.

While the focus of most leaks is the feature list of the device, given that most OEMs typically maintain a design consistency with minor refinements along the way, this year sees LG poised to make a big splash with the launch of the LG G5.

In addition to packing serious heat under the hood with an almost-guaranteed Snapdragon 820 and 3GB to 4GB of RAM, the G5 is set to bring about a visual overhaul to LG’s flagship lineup, with some expected changes, some welcome ones and some bizarre and fascinating ones. MWC is under three weeks away, and leaks have shown off the device in a conservative case, with those photographs and statements from various sources contributing to everything we know about this year’s LG flagship, the G5.

Factors making up the refresh

Material: While the HTC, Sony and Samsung adopted a metallic body design one by one, LG stubbornly stuck to building plastic phones, albeit with leather, plastic or ceramic finishes at the back. However, the widespread adoption of the former in high-end flagships and the exquisite feel of a metal body made phones that sported it synonymous with “premium.” This year around, LG has allegedly given into the trend as early leaks of the G5 show an all-metal unibody.

Wide-angle camera: The world is moving away from text and towards rich media, and smartphone cameras are playing a vital role in the transition. Apple has long held the title of being the frontrunner in this field, but 2015 saw numerous other flagships such as the Galaxy S6, Moto X Style and most notably, the Nexus 6P, step up to challenge the iPhone lineup. The G4 camera was above average, sporting an astounding f/1.8 aperture, but LG seems to be doubling their efforts this year, with the G5 packing a dual-camera setup. While the exact details of the sensors remain to be revealed, the dual-lens will allow wide-angle 135° shots.

Fingerprint sensor: The fingerprint sensor adoption last year was widespread with almost every major manufacturer including it, with the trend even trickling down to numerous mid-range and budget smartphones. The G4 stuck out without a sensor of its own, and LG didn’t feature it until the V10, but with Google itself taking a step in the biometric direction by bringing relevant APIs to Marshmallow and sensors to the Nexus 6P and 5X, LG is following suit and providing it once more, with photograph leaks of the G5 showing off a round sensor at the back, similar to the ones on the Nexus devices.

Smaller, but removable battery: One of the areas where LG seems determined to stand out from the crowd is smartphone batteries. Up until now, no unibody metallic device has had a removable battery, but the G5 purportedly packs a battery “drawer” that slides down from the bottom of the device and allows users to switch out batteries. With leaks stating that the G5 sports a small 2800mAh battery, this feature could be a welcome consolation, but it’s definitely an interesting proposition either way.

Modular hardware expansion: Undoubtedly the most significant feature of the LG G5 is its supposed “Magic Slot”. Harnessing the momentum of the upcoming modular phone revolution, the Magic Slot allows hardware expansion modules in a move that will give rise to a high-end accessory market, with sources citing examples like Virtual Reality, an audio amplifier, and even a physical keyboard.

Ticker display: The secondary ticker display, a feature that was pioneered by the premium LG v10 was met with mixed feelings. Some users found it extremely handy, while others shied away from it citing its unseemly nature and redundancy with similar mechanisms like Active Display available elsewhere. While the photographs of the G5 are inconclusive, numerous sources state the it will contain the same ticker display, above the screen on the front of the device.

Button placement: The back button placement on LG’s flagships was what made the lineup stand out from the crowd ever since its debut on the G2 in 2013. Just as it was cementing its place as a signature LG feature after making an appearance for the past three years, the G5 partially does away with it, placing the volume buttons on the side and doubling the use of the fingerprint sensor to act as a power button.

 

Screen to body ratio: Despite reviews giving the G4 a fantastic rating in terms of the screen-to-body ratio, the actual numbers were somewhat less spectacular, with the device packing a 72.5% ratio placing it between the Galaxy A7 and OnePlus One, a distinct 6% below the Sharp Aquos Crystal – the frontrunner of the pack. LG seems to have not paid much heed to this factor, with renders of the G5 showing a rather large bezel.

Why does LG need a refresh? Can they pull it off?

While LG has retained its status as one of the major OEMs right from the days of the Optimus One, its success rates have been a rollercoaster ride, seeing runaway victories one year and mediocre sales the next. One of the reasons of this is lack of a signature device design and its subsequent implications on branding. Samsung, HTC, Sony – all the other large OEMs have a certain consistency that persists across each generation of flagships and does remarkable things for brand recognition and brand loyalty. LG on the other hand, has toyed around with designs over the years and just as the signature back-button placement began to cement its position in the LG lineup, the G5 moved away from it and conformed to the trend of placing the volume rocker on the side.

Hopefully, the refinements around this year’s flagships bring us closer to a consistent and familiar LG design, with the South Korean manufacturer poised for a market gain this year owing to the G5’s out-of-the-box features. Large-scale design refreshes such as the upcoming one are few and far between, and when executed well, are widely successful. HTC experienced the consequences of a well-done design refresh with sales of the M7 skyrocketing, and LG can pull off a similar feat in the next three weeks.

What features would you like to see added to or removed from the LG flagship lineup? Will you be upgrading to the G5? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

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