LG’s modular experiment appears to be over. Following the poor reception afforded to the LG G5, the firm is going back to the tried and true form factor for the forthcoming G6.
In comments given to the Wall Street Journal, LG Chief Technologist Skott Ahn said the feedback offered by consumers has been noted and is “scaling back” on modular experiments in favour of a phone that offers “aesthetics and usability.”
Related: LG G6 – Everything you need to know
While this doesn’t mean the ‘Friends’ modules from the G5 are dead completely, there may still be add-ons available with the phone, but it’s clear has LG realised such a big experiment isn’t suited to its flagship phone.
LG also confirmed to the WSJ the G6 will arrive “in the very near future,” with all signs pointing toward a launch at Mobile World Congress next month.
LG faces an uphill battle in returning the G-Series phones to prominence, but may benefit from a perceived diminishing trust in Samsung following the Note 7 debacle in 2016.
To the G5’s credit, it earned a solid 8/10 score from TrustedReviews, earning praise for a lovely screen, great wide-angle camera, and USB-C fast charging.
However, it lost points due to the expense of the camera grip and DAC modules, ‘dodgy’ build quality and unattractive software. It also fell short of the Galaxy S7 and HTC 10 in terms of power.
LG G5 review
Is LG right to go back to the mainstream or is it a shame the company isn’t persisting with the modular experiment in order to differentiate itself from the competition?
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
