LG eyes number two phone maker spot for 2012, premium brand in the works

Sitting pretty as the number three cell maker in the world would make many of the bigger names happy -- not to mention the usurped Sony Ericsson and Motorola a bit green -- but not LG, as it's now gunning for spot number two. In an interview with Yonhap, LG's president of its mobile business, Ahn Seung-kwon, stated that the company hoped to bump Samsung to the wayside by 2012 with the help of a serious new set and a premium brand. While the gaudiness of really expensive handsets disturbs us at times, we'll admit that mention that LG's looking at a foray into the über high end of the spectrum -- with the likes of Nokia's Vertu -- piques our curiosity a good deal. And what about that serious new set we mentioned? Apparently in Q4 of this year, LG will launch a new Black Label-branded device to compete directly with iPhone, which when coupled with dreams of more success from yet another Prada device (and if we're super fortunate, some more Transformers-branded stuff) is part of the master scheme to start down the path. Will they crack it? Well, if we were betting types, we'd lean towards not likely as long as the Samsung juggernaut's standing in the way -- but we're all for watching them try.

[Patriks7 @ Jul 2nd 2009 5:32PM]

Directly compete with the iPhone? I swear I've seen tons of those from LG (at least here in Europe).

[TMPRIDE @ Jul 2nd 2009 6:02PM]

@Paul a. Chapel

Wait... Who are you and what have you done with our favorite apple fanboy?!

[Erik @ Jul 2nd 2009 6:20PM]

In other words hes being sarcastic.
Still on top iPhone :)

[GingerFox @ Jul 2nd 2009 6:41PM]

Paul. sometimes you make me wana hit you others laugh because some of your comments are witty, and this is neither, its odd and funny.


are you ok?

[Dave Bach @ Jul 2nd 2009 5:36PM]

There's no doubt about it...LG has brought a lot of quality products to market. With that said I'd like to see even more...perhaps a solid Windows Mobile phone or two. :)

[Demo @ Jul 2nd 2009 6:02PM]

Agreed, their feature phones are great. But as you said, a solid WinMo device would be pretty cool...the Incite is horrendous.

[oghowie @ Jul 2nd 2009 5:40PM]

They need a new logo.

[TMPRIDE @ Jul 2nd 2009 6:05PM]

Agreed. I remember seeing that same logo when I was 6 or 7 living in Seoul. Some logos are timeless, but that ugly circle is showing its age.

[Jkswiss @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:07PM]

It has gotten a whole lot better. I remember when their TV's simply said Goldstar in a crappy font.

[Jayenkai @ Jul 2nd 2009 5:51PM]

LG do make decent phones, but FFS, if only they'd bother to actually support them!!!

http://agameaweek.com/?p=192

[Abdel @ Jul 2nd 2009 6:05PM]

Ohh boy Wazup Apple?

[Erik @ Jul 2nd 2009 6:21PM]

50 models vs 1 :)

Lets compare one of theirs vs the iphone. lol

[Someperson @ Jul 2nd 2009 6:16PM]

Meh... I hate LG simply because they couldn't come up with an original idea(or at least in the cellphone biz) if it slapped them right across the face along with Samsung(sometimes). And besides, a lot of LG touchscreen phones(or at least the ones on Verizon) fail miserably compared to others. To put it my way, I highly doubt LG can surpass Samsung or Nokia.

[Foneboxdotcom @ Jul 2nd 2009 6:36PM]

Actually, LG have been exceptionally innovative - and ahead of Apple. a) The LG Prada features a fun, intuitive interface, and even back then, had a better camera, an FM radio and a more compact form factor - than the iPhone. b) Since then, they have continued to innovate, from the (original) Viewty that features versatile video recording, the glass keypad guesture based GD900, a phone watch and many others. Their GUI is also nicer and more fluid than those from Samsung or Nokia (see the lovely interface for the camera on the LG Arena and Viewty Smart) and the general usability is better too. Apple were in fact late to the table with a touch screen phone and their success was simply thanks to the integration with iTunes (people love their music, and that is why they buy iPods/iPhones!) and multi-touch browser/photo viewer, that instantly blows ones mind. Note: Apple did not invent iTunes, it was purchased, I know, I once contacted the company that wrote it to offer to design a stunning bas relief interface. (Apple did the job instead.) Niether did they invent mullti-touch - synaptics did. Carefully does it now!

[Someperson @ Jul 2nd 2009 7:04PM]

a)The Prada may have came out before the iPhone, but it came no where near iPhone's undeserved overrated success
b)The phone watch thing wasn't their idea. I think Hyundai or some other company came up with that.
c)I know Apple was late to the table with touch screens and they didn't invent multi-touch. I'm no Apple fanb0i in case you haven't noticed(check the avatar)

[Jughead @ Jul 2nd 2009 7:45PM]

@Someperson I'm pretty sure Inspector Gadget came up with the phone watch (or hand) first.

[Someperson @ Jul 2nd 2009 9:12PM]

What about James Bonds?

[drathos @ Jul 3rd 2009 12:36AM]

Neither of you are looking far enough back.. Dick Tracy had the watch phone back in the 40s.

[USSHoratio @ Jul 2nd 2009 6:22PM]

Pretty awesome i think

[Someperson @ Jul 2nd 2009 6:22PM]

+1 for you, good sir(er...wench?)

I wouldn't be surprised if LG did that. They've been ripping off Iphones, Nokias, Motos, and even Samsungs(which also happen to rip off others) for years.

[miko34 @ Jul 2nd 2009 7:01PM]

If LG wants to be #2 ... maybe they'll test their phones more.
And maybe they'll put updates to phones they already sold.
If they do reach #2 ... then they'll probably go down quickly when people start to realize their products are very buggy.

[insky @ Jul 2nd 2009 7:20PM]

That's funny, I always thought LG was a big steaming pile of number 2.

[Alpha Terminus @ Jul 2nd 2009 9:19PM]

I've had the enV Touch for a week and it's the only decent phone I've ever had on Verizon. The QWERTY keyboard and dual screen beat the iPhone, but the lack of apps fall short of the iPhone. The only things keeping me from the iPhone are 1: AT&T and 2: No physical keyboard... but mainly AT&T. If apple would release an iPhone with Verizon service and a form factor like the enV Touch, I'd get it in a second.

[ah-palin @ Jul 2nd 2009 10:08PM]

If LG wants to be #2, they dont need to push Samsung aside. If you see what LG and Samsung are doing in the TV business, you'll realize that they only compete each other as the last option - when there is no one else to compete with.
So, gentle folks of Finnish pulp mills (assuming they are #1) should be worried about an explicit statement from LG. The Korean juggernauts are ready for scandinavian salmon. Remember how much they loved eating the salmon-sushi not long ago...or the poor razor (or should I call it poor racer) who got back into the clamshell of obscurity...nevermind the sauerkrauts and windmills that fell by the side long ago.

And BTW, no one envies Vertu. The Prada and the viewty might get noticed (not the same as being envied), but Vertu is business for undertakers. Probably, bad business. iPhone killers are out there, dime a dozen. Also, killing the iPhone will also not help LG's dream of becoming #2. So, I dont see LG gunning for it. They will continue to make touch phones and other such high-end gadgets, but LG is smart enough to realize that their best bet will be to focus on maximizing the product of value and volume.

[graywolf790 @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:42AM]

Motorola i776=win.

Great price, great features for a relatively basic phone. Boost may have rough spots, but the phone doesn't.

LGs are too complicated for me. All I need is talk, text, downloadable ringtones, camera and walkie-talkie. Web and apps make it convenient AND complicated at the same time.