After the press conference, we had some time with the the G5, and other devices, although only the VR headset was of interest.
The phone has a 5.3″ display, with 2560 x 1440 resolution (554 ppi). It features three cameras: two on the rear (one 16MP and the 8MP wide-angle device), and one on the front (8MP). The Snapdragon 820 processor runs Android 6.0. 4GB of RAM and 32GB of ROM are installed. The replaceable battery is 2,800mAh.
We talked to an LG rep about the phone’s always-on display. This is used while the phone is locked to show the time and notifications, as white text on a black background. In the case of an OLED, this would be a simple matter of turning on only those pixels that are showing information. However, an LCD requires a light source; normally in the form of a backlight. This must be powerful to pass light past the pixels, which block part of the illumination. The backlight is the main source of power-draw in any LCD device.
LG has solved this problem by using a front light. This is a much smaller light source, and is hidden in the bottom bezel; it can be felt as a raised area. Only the top third of the screen is on while the phone is locked, and so LG uses a light guide to direct the light from the bezel.
A fingerprint scanner is mounted on the rear of the phone. We also played with (sorry, tested) the modular system. Modules can be extracted from the phone by pressing a button on the side – and it takes a surprising amount of force. This does ensure that the battery won’t fall out while you’re taking a phone call, of course.
LG’s 360 VR is an interesting concept. Existing VR headsets have been criticised for their bulky design and weight, both of which are a result of the need to house a smartphone, or the electronics and display to work while tethered to a PC. This unit, though, is lightweight, weighing less than 120g. However, it still did not sit entirely comfortably, and there was a large gap between the bottom of the headset and my sight line. Light bled into the viewing space, which was distracting, although I was told that these weren’t production-ready models. As with many VR headsets, aside from Royole’s OLED unit (Royole Shows Smart Mobile Theater), pixels were visible.
People with corrective lenses must be considered by headset makers; when wearing the device I found it difficult to see detail, no matter how much I adjusted it. However, wearing glasses made the 360 VR sit uncomfortably. Let’s be candid: VR remains the preserve of enthusiasts, who often wear glasses in their day-to-day work – these people need to be catered for.
The 360 VR is connected to the G5 via USB-C, which hints that it could be used with other phones. The Google Cardboard-style headsets, like Samsung’s Gear VR, fall down on this point, often requiring a specific size and shape of device. Of course, it does also mean you have a tethered phone to carry around.
Dual LCD micro-displays (960 x 720 per eye) enable viewing in the headset – supposedly of a 130″ image from 2m. The field of view is 80° and there are six-axis sensors built in.
