LG G5 Is Metal - Seriously, It Really, Really Is
For those of you that've heard the rumor – or read the rumor – that the LG G5 was actually made with plastic while attesting to being made of metal, let'd dispel that nonsense right now. In addition to the obviousness of the truth we can see in our own experience with the LG G5, LG's own Ken Hong has produced details in spades showing how the device is made of metal and why it was made with the processes LG chose. It begins with the aluminum alloy called LM201b, developed at the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology.
Back in 2014, the folks at EMK Co. Ltd. presented at the world Aluminium exhibition, as outlined here: Aluminum Messe 2014. There you'll find information about a new Eco-Mg Alloy for Eco-Aluminum products – that's a more Earth-friendly (read: less pollution) alternative to the traditional methods of creating Aluminum alloys, and one LG was interested in. EMK Co. Ltd. note in their listing for that event that they worked in concert with the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology to develop this technology.
Like LG suggests this week, they're using an aluminum alloy with patent code LM201b, as developed at the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology. This technology was originally created for use in vehicles of all sorts and aircraft. It's heavy-duty.
Because the technology allows for a light, yet strong alloy, LG was able to integrate antenna bands along the same panel, then cover the whole works with a primer and a paint. Because of this, you don't see the antenna bands as you would with an iPhone like the iPhone SE.
Per LG's Ken Hong: "I think it's incorrect to say that a product isn't all metal if paint is involved. That's like saying cars and airplanes aren't metal because they're also painted. For the record, even metal that's anodized will scratch off."
"Our process may be different but it achieved what we were aiming for, which is a smooth, seamless metal finish that's durable and lightweight. We weren't interested in doing what has already been done. When did this become a bad thing?"