G5, Galaxy S7 rumor mill heats up as Samsung and LG vie for the MWC spotlight

Samsung and LG are widely expected to fight over the spotlight the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona, Spain, next week, with the introduction of new flagship smartphones. And predictably, the gadgets are already getting some unofficial attention.

BGR and other sources report that both the LG G5 and the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge -- the expected MWC flagship phone announcements from LG and Samsung -- are currently showcased on Dubizzle, an online marketplace out of Dubai. The Galaxy S7 Edge is offered at $1,143.00 while the G5 is priced at $680; both phones are said to be imported from the U.S.

As BGR notes, the retail box pictured on Dubizzle's site appears to confirm several rumors about the G5 phone, indicating it will feature a metal body, fingerprint sensor, dual-camera setup and perhaps a removable battery.

Meanwhile, The Verge reports that Samsung's Indonesian division may have prematurely posted a video highlighting the Galaxy S7. The clip, which appeared on the company's official YouTube channel and carried a tag of #TheNextGalaxy, shows a noted Indonesian archer training while using an unnamed phone. The spot suggests the gadget is water-resistant, as some rumors have indicated, and uses a wireless charging pad.

Not to be outdone, PhoneArena joined the bandwagon by reporting the LG G5 will feature both a dual-lens camera system and a secondary display according to "prolific leaker" Evan Blass, who claims to have seen phone. The second camera might be used for special effects, the site suggests, or could enable zoom-like functionality.

Samsung remains the world's top-selling phone vendor, and both South Korean manufacturers are looking for a hit in a market where growth has slowed over the last year. LG's mobile division lost $36 million during the fourth quarter of 2015, and Samsung's sluggish fourth quarter paved the way for Huawei to make big gains.

Both phones are expected to be introduced at media events Sunday, one day before MWC kicks off.

For more:
- see this BGR article
- read this Verge piece
- check this PhoneArena story

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