10 Features We’ll Likely Find in the LG Electronics G5 Smartphone

Time will tell if LG can win over smartphone users to its designs. We examine what the rumor mill is saying about what we might see in the LG G5 handset.

While the LG G4 was designed with a curved back plate and several finish options, including leather, the LG G5 will be much different, according to reports. Instead, the LG G5 will have a flat back and metal body. Evan Blass, who uses Twitter to leak mobile device information, claims LG is trying to make the G5 feel more like a luxury product. And ditching plastic and leather for metal is a key component in that, rumors suggest.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, unveiled last year, will undoubtedly find its way into the LG G5. In fact, rumors suggest that the Snapdragon 820 will be a popular option for a slew of smartphones unveiled at Mobile World Congress. The reason is simple: It’s expected to be among the top processors this year, and recently leaked benchmarks suggest it’s far more powerful than its predecessor, the 810.

The LG G5 could come with what is being called a “Magic Slot.” The rumored feature would allow users to quickly swap in and out parts that would add new functionality to the handset. For instance, the Magic Slot could accommodate a game controller, a virtual reality camera and much more. The Magic Slot would turn the G5 into a modular smartphone and give users the ability to add several new features to the device.

The LG G5 will run on Android. LG has been one of the longest-running Android supporters, and there is no chance that it would turn its back on Google and run another platform, despite running webOS on its televisions. Whether LG will improve the oft-criticized skin it places atop Android to differentiate its software from competitors, however, remains to be seen.

Several reports out of Korea say that LG will put two cameras on the back of its LG G5. By offering dual cameras, LG could help customers take wider-angle shots and provide extra features with help from software linked to the hardware. The cameras are reportedly 16-megapixel sensors, complementing an 8-megapixel sensor on the front.

Several reports over the last few months have said that LG is quietly working on its own mobile-payment solution to be known as LG Pay. According to reports, LG Pay will premiere at Mobile World Congress and come with full support for the LG G5. If that happens, LG Pay will need to compete with Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and the many other mobile-payment platforms entering that market. That’s no simple task.

In order to deliver LG Pay, the LG G5 will need some biometric support. In several images purporting to show the G5 in action, the smartphone is shown featuring a backplate with a built-in fingerprint sensor. Users would place their finger over that sensor to unlock the handset and make payments with LG Pay, according to reports.

LG has been one of the few companies to stubbornly stick to a removable battery in its smartphones, and that is not expected to change this year. In fact, several reports out of Korea have already said that LG will make the removable battery a selling point as it again looks to compete against Apple and Samsung, which have both ditched removable batteries.

The LG G5 won’t give preferential treatment to any wireless carrier in the United States, according to reports. When the smartphone launches, it will be available on all four major carriers, and likely work with some regional carriers, as well. That will maximize LG’s chances of appealing to the greatest number of customers.

One of the more recent surprises is a leaked LG image that suggests the G5 will have an “Always-On” screen. Although details are scant, the leaked image shows a G5 displaying time and date, as well as quick-access buttons to the phone and email. The feature can likely be turned on and off at will, but the idea is interesting and could be ideal for those who want to access features quickly or see the time, and don’t want to be forced to press buttons to do so.