LG is all but certain to be confirming its next flagship device, the G6, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and it seem’s we’ve now gotten our first too look at the device.
The Verge has reportedly obtained the first image of the device – part of it anyway – showing a sleek blue glass and metal design with a couple of interesting design touches. First off, LG is rumored to be focusing on design more heavily than ever this time around, with a Samsung-esque combination of reflective glass and a metal frame. We’ve yet to see the backside, however, so who knows what kind of party is going on there.
The more interesting bit, however, is that the device is rumored feature a 5.7-inch screen with a rare 2:1 aspect ratio (as opposed to the usual 16:9). This a page out of Xiaomi’s book; the company’s Mi Mix uses a 17:9 display aspect ratio in order to maximize the amount of screen that takes up the face of the phone.
This allows for a larger display without making the phone wider, and thus harder to hold. That’ll give you more real estate for browsing the web and messaging, but it won’t help much for most video, which is formatted at a 16:9 ratio.
2017 might end up being the year bezels begin to die. In addition to the aforementioned Mi Mix, Samsung’s Galaxy S8 is heavily rumored to be getting rid of the home screen button in order to minimize the borders.
The 💜 of EU tech
The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!
Other expected features include dual rear cameras, waterproofing, and – I can’t believe I have to say this – a headphone jack. We don’t see the bottom of the device in this picture, but LG will likely follow its usual trend of keeping the fingerprint sensor in the rear.
In case you’re wondering, no, the phone will almost certainly not feature any modules, at least not in the way the G5 attempted to. LG might try to keep the spirit alive with clever accessories, but the chances that this phone is going to have a removable battery seem pretty slim.
That would mark the end of an era for LG. It’s G6 and V20 were the only flagship devices of 2016 to feature a removable battery, making them something of a final bastion for old school power users. With LG now throwing in the towel, it seems removable batteries will really become a thing of the past. But hey, at least Motorola still has its Moto Mods.
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.