LG demands involvement in G5 module development

LG demands that the manufacturer itself is involved in making modules for its smartphone G5. That’s on the developer site of the Friends modules. Developers therefore not only have to convince LG of their idea, but also work together with employees of the manufacturer.

LG wants developers of modules for the G5 smartphone to sign contracts, after which they get a ‘fair’ share of the profits, the developer site says. The manufacturer is going to hold an ideas competition this month, after which developers must work with the manufacturer to turn the idea into a product.

According to LG, this is necessary, because modules strongly influence the performance and design of the G5. It is unknown how many developers want to develop modules for the smartphone. So far, the manufacturer has shown two: a camera grip and an audio module in collaboration with Bang & Olufsen.

For snap-in modules, LG uses its own port called AppsPort 1.0, which has 28 pins. Modules must connect to it. The AppsPort works on the basis of USB 2.0, with LG determining many of the characteristics.

Modules can also work wirelessly, with bluetooth, wifi or 4g. The manufacturer keeps the exact operation of the modular design secret and only allows developers who have signed a contract with LG access to all data.

The G5 has a design that allows users to replace the bottom of the device with another module. The removable battery is also attached to the bottom. LG presented the G5 at the end of February. The device is about to be released in the Benelux.