The LG G5 has a new "Friend" — a small camera that, in fact, does not need a phone at all to stream video directly to sites such as YouTube Live.

The LG Action Cam is a 12.3-megapixel little camera that can capture HD-ready, full HD or UHD video in 120, 60 and 30 frames per second, respectively. Live streaming, however, is limited to 30 fps, 720p video.

The camera is chock-full of wireless connectivity, with LTE, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support all on board. Other specs include 2GB of RAM, 4GB of memory (reserved only for the camera's own OS), support for microSD cards, gyroscope, accelerometer and a 1,400mAh battery providing up to four hours of full HD recording.

The camera is water- and dust-resistant to IP67 specifications, meaning it can be immersed in up to one meter of water for up to 30 minutes. If that's not enough, LG will launch a fully waterproof case later this year.

As for the video quality, it should be on par with the latest mid-range offerings in the space. With a 1/2.3-inch sensor, 1.55µm-sized pixels and an ultra-wide, 150-degree lens, the LG Action Cam should be able to capture videos comparable to those grabbed by the GoPro Hero Session, which has similar specs.

While you don't need an LG phone to run it — in fact, one of its most important features is the ability to stream video directly to an online streaming site without a phone, something that GoPro currently doesn't offer — it falls under the umbrella of LG's "Friends" ecosystem. LG already has one camera in that lineup, the LG 360 Cam, which lets you take 360-degree photos and videos, also without a phone.

There's no word on the price yet, but LG Action Cam will launch in South Korea in June, followed by a global launch later in the year.

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