(Update: G5 confirmed) LG sends out invites to MWC 2016 event, most likely LG G5 launch

Update, January 13: LG confirmed to CNET that it will introduce the G5 at its February 21 event in Barcelona. The countdown is on!

Original post, January 12: LG has sent out media invitations for an event to be held at MWC 2016. The event, entitled “Play begins,” will take place on the Sunday press day before the official start of MWC on Monday, February 22. It’s not entirely clear what this tag line refers to, but recent rumors have the LG G5 seeing the light of day at the Barcelona trade show.

In recent years, the new LG G series flagship has been launched at standalone events held simultaneously around the world. But recent reports out of South Korea claim the LG G5 launch will be during MWC 2016 next month and that the device will be out by the end of March.

The LG G5 will reportedly be an all-metal affair with major design changes from the LG G4 and LG G3. Rumored features include an iris scanner, fingerprint scanner, secondary “ticker” display like the LG V10 (above), “Magic Slot” for hot-shoeing hardware accessories, dual camera lenses on the back for wide-angle photography and a real, live unicorn horn.

At this point building a specs table out of the rumors is fun but not entirely enlightening. Nevertheless, some unconfirmed rumors jive with what makes sense in terms of available components and natural progression.

These include a 16 MP primary camera, Snapdragon 820 SoC, 3 GB of RAM, 32 GB base model and a QHD display somewhere between 5.3-5.6 inches (with the difference possibly attributable to the ticker display).

Of course, “Play begins” could refer to something else entirely, but the LG G5 is the most likely candidate we have so far. What do you think LG will deliver next month?