Camera boost, virtual reality in new Samsung, LG gadgets
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — To revive interest in smartphones, Samsung and LG are improving their cameras and embracing the nascent world of virtual reality.
[...] Samsung is being backed by Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, who said Sunday the companies are teaming up to push VR in mobile phones and social networking.
The main camera on LG's upcoming G5 smartphone will have two lenses — one for standard shots and another with a wider angle so you can capture more of what's in front of you without having to step back.
Samsung, which unveiled a virtual-reality device for consumers last fall, will now make a 360-degree camera for everyday folks to capture and share VR images.
LG will have its own VR headset — a lighter version of Samsung's Gear VR — as well as a smartphone attachment that functions as a camera grip with physical buttons to take shots and control video recording.
The attachment is part of LG's new modular approach to design; you'll be able to pop out the phone's bottom and swap in new hardware features.
The announcements at the Mobile World Congress wireless show in Barcelona, Spain, come as worldwide smartphone growth has slowed, particularly for high-end devices such as Samsung's S and LG's G series.
[...] the new LG phone is shrinking to 5.3 inches, from 5.5 inches last year.
In a few months, Samsung will start selling its Gear 360 camera, a device with front and back lenses to stitch together 360-degree videos for VR devices and apps.
Samsung wants to make it easier for everyday people to create VR videos — so that their friends will buy VR headsets to view them.