LG G5 Release Date Details: Leaked Renders Suggest Modular Design As Manufacturer Announces MWC Launch

LG has already tested the market with its dual screen LG V10, and it appears that manufacturer will continue testing the waters with a modular design for the LG G5. CNET Korea leaked Wednesday, schematics of a device that includes a detachable bottom, which would allow users to dissemble some components of the device and insert others, like a new battery.

Many manufacturers moved toward a unibody design in 2015, which negated the ability to have features, such as a removable back to allow for replacing batteries and inserting microSD slots. LG was one of the few top manufacturers to keep this feature, in devices like the LG G4. The inclusion of a microSD slot in particular made the G4 a consumer favorite. However, with the premium unibody design remaining a trend, coming into 2016, the Korean manufacturer seems to be branching out into different methods of keeping features like expandable battery on a device with no removable back.

If true, the LG G5 would be first high-end smartphone with a modular design. This concept is similar to Google’s Project Ara; however, Ara has been focused on lower cost smartphones for markets like Latin America, where consumers cannot afford to purchase a completely new smartphone every few years. The premise of the device intends for consumers to purchase new components only when they need or want them.

Though a modular design is not confirmed for the G5, LG has confirmed the smartphone will be announced Feb. 21 at MWC in Barcelona.

The LG G5 is rumored to feature 5.3-inch Quad HD display with the same dual-screen design seen on the LG V10, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chip, a 16-megapixel dual-lens camera and a fingerprint scanner.