FollowInspired by the impressive strides made by its budget Optimus smartphones, LG is expecting
to sell 45 million smartphones this year. It is a part of its target to sell 75 million handsets in
2013.
The Korean company’s plans come at a time when some reports say that it hasn’t been
meeting shipping deadlines for its Nexus 4 handset, a point that LG has denied.
There are talks that some new top-tier Android phones – GK, G2 and Nexus 5, and Nexus
7.7 tablet – will be released soon. The company’s optimism can be attributed to its plans
of releasing several new Optimus devices and smartphones that will run on Microsoft’s
Windows Phone 8.
LG, a former rival of Samsung, has floundered recently, but its Nexus 4 and Optimus have
come to its aid, and also demonstrate that LG is capable of developing high-performance
mobile devices. Market sources say that LG sold 13 million and 14 million units in the
first and second quarters of 2012 respectively, and 15 million units from October through
December 2012. That seems to indicate that LG can achieve its target provided it maintains
or improves the growth rate.
LG’s plans are quite far from Samsung’s, which plans to sell over 300 million smartphones in
2013.
LG actually missed the 2009-2011 smartphone boom, by rejecting the opportunity to
produce the first Android smartphone, and choosing to rely on the Windows mobile
platform. However, the cheap Optimus L line, Optimus G and Google’s Nexus 4 have led the
company to increase the volume of smartphone sales.
Smartphones have indeed brought in some credibility to the company’s reputation, and
upgrading its product line to high-end Android and Windows Phone 8 could turn out to
be successful. Perhaps, 2013 is set to witness LG shin up and get bigger given the growing
popularity of the company’s budget offerings.
