Update: Hoping to learn more about the LG G5, we reached out to a source familiar with LG’s plans for the G5. Our source didn’t directly address whether or not the rumor of a modular design is accurate, though the source did state that LG’s “next phone is going to have a lot of competitors slapping their foreheads wondering why they hadn’t thought of this idea first. Or maybe they have but no one has been able to make it work like LG has…”. Hoping to learn more about the LG G5, we reached out to a source familiar with LG’s plans for the G5. Our source didn’t directly address whether or not the rumor of a modular design is accurate, though the source did state that LG’s “next phone is going to have a lot of competitors slapping their foreheads wondering why they hadn’t thought of this idea first. Or maybe they have but no one has been able to make it work like LG has…”. This certainly isn’t a confirmation that the design show in the drawing below is what LG has in plans, but has further piqued our interest. Could LG finally give us its first major overhaul in design since the LG G2?

The LG G5 may soon be upon us, as the company has already begun sending out invites for an event at MWC 2016, so it’s not surprising that a few more hardware rumors have bubbled to the surface. The latest report out of South Korea suggests that the LG G5 will sport a unique and rather intriguing modular design.

Removable batteries, or a lack thereof, were a contentious subject in 2015 and LG has apparently found an interesting solution to the problem by using a modular design. Rather than popping off the back cover, the whole bottom portion of the smartphone below the display can be disassembled, allowing you to simply slide in a new battery. This implies that the USB port, speakers and possibly the headphone jack can all be disconnected and reconnected to the main board too. LG has apparently been testing out a few potential solutions, including a draw like design.

Apparently, this is all in the name of creating a thinner uni-bodied smartphone, possibly built from metal, while still retaining a removable battery. The report also suggests that LG will be moving the volume rocker back onto the side of the smartphone for the G5, presumable for similar reasons.

This is not the first time that we have heard about some sort of modular design with the LG G5 either. The smartphone has also been rumored to feature a “Magic Slot”, which will supposedly serve as a hardware expansion port for plugging in accessories such as a VR headset, external keyboard or an audio amplifier.

Other reported hardware specifications include a 5.3-inch QHD display with a secondary ticker display, Snapdragon 820 processor, a 16 megapixel dual rear camera configuration, and a fingerprint scanner. The LG G5 is shaping up to be one interesting smartphone.

Regardless of whether or not this modular design turns out to be true, it’s a very interesting engineering solution to the removable battery problem. What do you think?