Customers who bought the LG G5 flagship smartphone this year will get a chance to test out the upcoming Android OS version 7.0 Nougat before anyone else. However, there are two catches to this; you will have to be in South Korea and even then, the number of people chosen for the beta testing will be very limited. When LG means limited, they mean it as the total number of smartphones which will be allowed in the closed beta program is just two thousand.

The user will need to download and install an app called OS Preview from the Play Store in order to get registered for the beta program, if they are chosen. Needless to say, if you are in the US or in any other country for that matter, the application will not be found on your version of the Play Store. Although LG has not mentioned anything to indicate that the preview will also be made available in other countries, we are hoping that it might be so later on.

Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

The LG V20 is indeed coming and it is coming on September 6, when the successor to the LG V10 will be unveiled at an event in San Francisco. This is official news and not a leak as LG Mobiles confirmed these facts on their own just recently. Additionally, we now have some high quality renders, leaked by @OnLeaks that shows us the LG V20 in vivid details.

Apart from the most obviously striking dual camera bump at the back of the V20, we can also see that they may have done away with the dual front camera setup at the front, as is found on the V10. There's also the secondary display on top of the main display and the volume buttons have been shifted to the left of the smartphone. The power button on its back will also act as the fingerprint sensor and the modular, removable bottom seen in the G5 is going to be there in the V20 as well. Keep in mind that there is a bit of controversy regarding whether the modular bottom will really be there or not in the V20, but if this render is accurate, then the module release button at the right does confirm it.

Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

The long awaited Marshmallow update is finally on its way to the LG G3 smartphones that are under T-Mobile and AT&T contracts. This news was confirmed after several reports from users on the two networks started to come in. While this is indeed good news for T-Mobile users, the catch is that it cannot be downloaded over-the-air at this moment. In order to run Android M on T-Mobile's version of the LG G3, you will first need to connect it to a computer where LG's desktop client for smartphones is pre-installed. The entire upgrade process from there onwards must also be completed with the help of the desktop client.

AT&T's version of the G3 does not have any such bindings as users can download and install the update via OTA, which will change the software version to D85030k. Unfortunately, there is no telling when the update will arrive for your particular handset on either network. One detail that is curious about the package is that it updates the base OS to Android 6.0 instead of 6.0.1, which has been out since November, 2015. Security patches till March are included in the upgrade package, but it making you wonder about what happened to the security patch for April?

It is a bit disappointing to see leading companies still in the process of updating their high-end smartphones to Marshmallow, when Android N (Beta) is already being tested by Google. Then again, it's better late than never.

Author: Saikat Kar (Tech-journalist and enthusiast)

You are probably familiar with the newly introduced Always On displays already, so let's get into the battle of the flagships right away. However, keep in mind that the LG G5 used while comparing the two was a pre-production unit.

Visibility or clarity

If you are outdoors and the weather isn't too sunny then you would be hard pressed to see a difference between the two Always On displays as they are both perfectly visible, even from a distance. If however, the condition outside is quite sunny and you are trying to check out the time, date and notifications, the LG G5 loses by a huge margin to the S7. The S7's AMOLED display is simply brighter, more defined and clear compared to the IPS-LCD screen of the G5. In fact, you will need to look at the G5 at almost a 90-degree angle under bright conditions to even make out what's on the secondary display, while the S7 offers much better viewing angles.

Capability

In terms of usefulness, the LG G5 will win simply because of the fact that its secondary display supports notifications from third party applications as well, whereas the S7 is only capable of showing notifications from Samsung apps.

Customization

Samsung has added a lot more customizability to its secondary screen when compared to its South Korean competitor. The S7's Always On display supports stock pictures and skins for clocks as well as the calendar. The notifications change their place of appearance on their own as well to prevent screen burn-ins (a result of static images being shown on a particular space for too long a time at a single stretch). The only significant customization that LG offers is the ability to add a personal signature that can replace the traditional time display.

Although we love LG's equal treatment of all apps installed on it, credit must be given to Samsung for making better hardware and adding more customization. The S7 would win this hands down if only it supported third party apps like the G5, but as it stands now, the better Always On display among the two must be decided by the user and his/her priorities. So, which of these features are more important to you?

The LG G5 is made out of metal and it has some of the most perfect lines we have seen yet. The only seam on the entire body of the G5 is the one which separates from the bottom. This part is what all the hype is about as the modular component will not only allow for removal of the battery and placement of SIM cards and micro-SD cards, but a whole lot more. It can at this moment support a camera module or a speaker component only, but in time, there will be several others that will enhance the capabilities of the G5 far beyond its initial endowments.

The first of the modules is the LG Cam Plus, which is a camera grip that will add an extra 1,100 mAh battery, a shutter button, a video button, and a dial to zoom in and out. This will make the excellent dual cameras on the back of the G5 even more functional and useful. The speaker unit is a Bang & Olufsen DAC which will allow the LG G5 to provide louder and better sound quality while playing games or consuming media.

The G5 has a camera setup like no other, thanks to its dual camera sensors that's more than just a gimmick. The primary 16 megapixel camera has a 75° field of view while the 8 megapixel secondary camera offers a wider FOV at 135°. The results from both the cameras are merged to create the best possible picture and the user can actually see a real time preview of how things will look after the click while attempting the shoot. We are thoroughly impressed and the crown for the best smartphone camera of the year might already be heading towards the G5's metallic head!

Other specifications of the LG G5 include a 5.3" LCD display with 1440 x 2560 resolution powered by SD 820 SoC, 4GB of RAM and a 2,800 mAh battery. There is support for expandable memory via SD card, along with 32GB of in-built storage. All the regular sensors are there in addition to an ultrafast fingerprint scanner at the back. The G5 with its impressive modular design has already got us excited, but in order to get your hands on it, you will need to wait till April approximately.

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