We’re less than a month away from the 2016 Mobile World Congress, the year’s second big tech event. We’re already expecting big releases from Samsung, LG, HTC, and Sony. As with big releases, leaks pour out weeks beforehand. We already saw what the Samsung Galaxy S7 will look like. It’s time for another look at MWC’s big releases.
This time, it’s the LG G5. We got a few “leaks” before that said the new G5 will be joining the metal-clad smartphone trend. Rather than reiterating its fashionable leather backs from the G4, the G5 will be made from metal. Now, it looks like some fuel have been added to the fire.
A user on Dubizzle, or Dubai’s version of Craigslist, posted about the unreleased smartphone with accompanying pictures. The post has since been taken down, but the photos live on.
The new design is definitely a departure from the philosophy they’ve been building for the past year. The metal is a welcome addition to part with the overused plastics of yore. While LG is headed in the right direction, this decision might end up missing its mark. For one, the G5 looks very similar to existing models out in the market–the circular fingerprint sensor and its shape and texture exudes a look reminiscent of HTC’s Nexus. The volume rocker has also painfully departed from its ergonomic location at the back.
This is of course speculating that the leak is real. If it is real, there’s also a possibility that this isn’t the final model that will be released publicly. And how about other colors? There are too many factors to consider for an adequate judgement to be passed. Personally, I’d wait for a final review before scoring this low on the design score sheet.
