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MWC 2016 Showdown: 'Galaxy S7' vs. LG's 'G5'
Public attention focuses on LG's detachable battery


The removable battery of LG Electronics' new smartphone, the 'G5', stands out. (Photo courtesy of LG Electronics)

LG Electronics' 'G5', unveiled at MWC 2016, is constantly being mentioned in various IT articles. Samsung, which did not consider it a rival to the Galaxy, may be taken aback right now. While the media frames the showdown as a battle between Samsung's 'Galaxy S7' and LG's 'G5', comments frequently appear stating that the 'G5' has finally done it.

LG Electronics’ smartphone "dark history" has been ongoing for a long time, but among them, the "G" series was recognized as one of the better devices. The "G" series began with the "Optimus G" in 2012. Since then, LG has continued to release "G" series products, but they often failed to establish themselves in the rapidly growing mobile market. Although they promoted Retina displays, they fell behind Samsung, and their unibody device concept was overshadowed by Apple; consequently, they lacked competitiveness other than a large screen ratio that no one could rival. However, LG has consistently showcased innovations that "no one recognizes" through the "G series," and finally revealed the true value of the "G5" at MWC 2016.

LG's Smartphone Dark History
Starting with the 'G' series in 2012, it gradually gained a response.

First, Samsung's 'Galaxy S7' is characterized by water and dust resistance, larger camera pixels, and an 18% increase in battery capacity. Furthermore, Samsung Electronics explained that by incorporating 'Game Launcher' and 'Game Tools,' the device boasts high performance in both software and hardware, stating that it "pursued something beyond a smartphone." Additionally, as a leader in the rapidly expanding mobile payment market, it appears that the 'Samsung Pay' service will be further strengthened. However, opinions widely circulated online suggest that the device lacks the mobile innovation seen in previous years. Among them, user mhki**** commented, "Samsung just increased the number from 6 to 7; I don't really see what has changed."

LG launched a product adopting a 'modular design' for the first time. At MWC, under the concept of a 'Play Ground,' they demonstrated battery removal by pulling the bottom section, much like assembling a toy. Netizens who watched the video commented with usernames soyu****, "I'm just drawn to the battery," neon****, "This is the first time I've felt like buying an LG product," and sng0****, "The G5 is pretty." They expressed opinions such as, "I'll switch around next year lol."

In addition, LG Electronics equipped it with two cameras with 135-degree and 78-degree viewing angles to enable capturing photos over a wider range.

It is not just the comments. The 'G5' is also topping various surveys conducted by IT media. According to Edaily News (February 23), in an online poll conducted by the IT specialized media outlet 'PhoneArena' asking "Which product would you like to buy more of?" with 5,000 participants, over half (53%) clicked on the 'G5'. Additionally, regarding the question "Which smartphone was the most impressive?" by 'Android Authority', 52% also selected the 'G5'. Finally, user ID rkak**** began by stating, "The G5 seems more innovative than the Galaxy," and added, "In a situation where mobile devices have already reached a high level of standardization, this G5 was a refreshing shock. It appears to be a device that elevates camera and video features—which were previously merely mimicked on mobile—to a professional level. The method of attaching and detaching the battery also looks fresh as it breaks away from the existing paradigm." They also expressed infinite affection, saying, "There seems to be a reason why the foreign press is praising it."

Amid this atmosphere, LG officials are also raising expectations for sales, and according to a report by Newsis (February 21), Hyundai Securities analyst Kim Dong-won analyzed that “G5 sales volume will increase by 136% compared to the G4, reaching 10.6 million units, marking the highest sales volume in the history of the G series.”

There are also concerns about whether it will actually lead to sales.
It has been pointed out that the design and reliability are still at a limit.

However, there were also opinions questioning whether conservative Korean users would easily switch from Samsung or iPhone to LG. User kkt9**** expressed concern about product reliability, stating, "As long as they buy APs from Qualcomm and OSs from Google, there is no differentiation from Chinese phones. Shouldn't they have top-of-the-line APs and optimized OS by now? That is the real difference between Samsung and Apple." Additionally, users hone**** and thav**** immediately brought up the frequently pointed-out design issues, commenting, "Can't they make it look a bit nicer?" and "If the design isn't changed, there isn't much reason to buy a new product. That is also the reason the iPhone 6S didn't sell well." User spin**** wrote, "No matter how well it performs, LG is always second best," and byk9**** also commented, "LG was the innovation, but Samsung is the performance."


A view of the LG Electronics booth at MWC 2016 held last month ( Photo : Courtesy of LG Electronics )
It is bustling with many people to experience LG products .