LG G5 and Friends – The story you need to know

The annual LG flagship launch event has gone for a twist this time round as it’s not just the G5 alone that’s coming our way but a few of its friends as well.

First, it’s the LG G5 that needs some introduction, and it’s already proving to be one hell of a smartphone. Not only can the G5 be considered a huge improvement over its predecessor but also rises head and shoulders above its competition as well, which applies to the new Galaxy S7 series too.

LG though isn’t too keen to discuss the phone’s hardcore specifications – it would rather dwell on what amazing things it can pull off – but what’s apparent is its 5.3-inch 2560 x 1440 pixel display along with the top-tier Snapdragon 820 chipset coupled to a 4 GB RAM on the other side of it.

The G5 also comes with a modest 32 GB of internal storage though there also is a microSD card expansion slot as well. Among the other notable features include a USB Type-C port and a removable 2,800mAh battery.

LG also has endowed the G5 with innovative camera tech which includes a unique dual 16-megapixel and 8-megapixel setup at the rear, with the latter also benefitting from a 135-degree wide angle lens.

Also, the dual camera opens up a host of possibilities with the option to use each individually or both. The latter though is especially suited for wide-angle panoramic shots. Complementing the hardware here is software that is designed to make the best of the flexibility that the twin cam setup provides for.

All of the tech bits are housed in a unibody shell made of anodized aluminum that is just 8 mm thick. The external looks also benefit from a new micro-sizing tech that disguises the antenna lines.

However, that’s just about the standalone handset which essentially makes up just one part of the story. It’s here that the G5 compatible accessories come into the picture, something that LG fondly refers to as friends of the G5.

Among these include the LG Cam Plus, which essentially turns the G5 into a digital camera of sorts. Towards that, not only does the Cam Plus come with a host of suitable switches and buttons like a dedicated shutter button, video recording key, LED indicator, zoom control dial but also an extra battery as well.

Power gets boosted to 4,000mAh from the standard 2,800mAh which makes for an extra 6 to 7 hours of usage. What this means is that the transformation of the G5 into a camera won’t be at the cost of the smartphone’s own power resource.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anyW8UY9ELg

Then there also is the Hi-Fi Plus, which should appeal to the camera buffs. The 32-bit DAC and amplifier combo unit that has been developed in partnership with Bang & Olufsen enhances the sound quality and is inclusive of a H3 B&O Play earphones besides being compatible with external speakers as well.

Also, with virtual reality being the new buzzword in tech circles, it’s all too natural for LG to have something to show off here as well. LG has also broken new grounds so far as the headset is concerned, with the 360 VR being lot less imposing than the Galaxy Gear or Oculus Rift headsets.

Another difference here is that that the LG 360 VR connects to the G5 via USB Type-C port so that there is no need for the entire handset to be slotted into a compartment built into the headset. The entire setup will mimic watching a 130-inch display from a distance of 2 meters.

That apart, the headset comes with twin 1.88-inch 960 x 720p 638ppi displays with the G5 providing the processing power. Another unique quality of the headset is that it weighs in at just 100 grams. However, LG hasn’t stated how much it might cost but said it will be costlier than the Samsung Galaxy Gear.

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Then there also is the LG 360 Cam, a twin-sensor spherical camera capable of 16-megapixel still shots or 2K videos. The 360 Cam will also be compatible with YouTube 360 as well as Google Street View.

Then there is the LG Rolling Bot as well which is controllable via a smartphone and is capable of tasks as diverse as home monitoring or keeping the pet engaged. The Bot comes with a built-in camera, speakers, microphone, along with laser pointer.

However, while the accessories sure are a nice thing to complement the actual smartphone, what remains to be seen is how much they actually cost. Maybe we will get to know more on that once the G5 reaches markets, which is slated to happen sometime in April.