MWC 2016: LG's Friends line-up includes a robot, VR headset, 360-degree camera and more

Unveiled at MWC 2016 were LG’s ‘Friends’ for the LG G5, a term that LG’s using to describe companion accessories for their G5 smartphone. These accessories are meant to enhance the functionality of the G5 smartphone and include a VR headset, a 360-degree camera, a Rolling Bot, a DAC from B&O and a Cam+ module, among others.  The VR headset is simplistic because it isn’t actually a VR headset in the sense that it doesn’t offer stereoscopic vision. The headset is very light however and connects to your device via a USB Type-C cable. The idea is that this headset will allow you to enjoy 360-degree video content without the hassle of mounting your phone in a complicated mount. Sensors will track your head movement and you can view videos on a 1.88-inch, 639ppi screen.  Accompanying the headset is the 360 Cam. This handy camera is a 13MP device that records photos and videos in 360-degrees and allows you to export the videos to your LG device or upload to YouTube as a 360-degree video or even to Google StreetView. Videos are recorded at 2K and 3 microphones ensure that you experience 5.1 audio as well. The Rolling Bot is the most interesting gadget of all because it literally is a rolling robot. Think of it as a headless BB-8. The little bot will capture 8MP still photos and record videos and can also stream video directly to your LG G5 via WiFi. The device can also, apparently, connect to and control certain LG appliances and also control your TV. A more fascinating addition to the device is a laser pointer that can be controlled remotely, presumably to keep your cats entertained while you’re away. The in-built support for two-way audio is also a nice addition.  Also spotted in the line-up were a DAC made by B&O and a Cam+ module. The Cam+ module is the more interesting addition as it has the potential to truly enhance your smartphone photography experience.  The module is easy to attach and detach and includes three buttons. A large, circular button is used to record video, a shutter button focuses on half-pressing and takes a shot on fully pressing. The shutter button will also take photos in burst mode when held. A nice touch is dial on the side that works as a zoom ring. we found it to be very intuitive to use, with the zoom being very smooth across the length of the zoom range.