LG Follows Samsung With Optimus LTE2

LG Electronics stole a little spotlight from Korean rival Samsung on 4 May, with the introduction of the Optimus LTE2.

Like Samsung’s bar-raising Galaxy S III, introduced in London on 3 May, the new LG phone brings with it an industry first: 2GB of on-board RAM.

Delivering “firsts” to market is apparently part of the LG strategy to get itself noticed by smartphone buyers largely focused on Samsung and Apple.

Cutting-edge

LG was also the first to debut a smartphone with a dual-core processor – the Optimus 2X – the first to offer a glasses-free 3D experience, on the Optimus 3D Max, and, with the Optimus 4X HD, the first to introduce a phone with a quad-core processor.

The bad news: LG introduced the LTE2 during a press event in Korean, suggesting consumers elsewhere shouldn’t be expecting it any time soon.

Still, the tantalising details, via Google Translate, include:

  • a 2,150mAh battery that offers a 40 percent boost in battery life compared to earlier LG smartphones;
  • Android 4.0, known as Ice Cream Sandwich;
  • software that’s Long-Term Evolution- (LTE-) optimised for better power efficiency;
  • support for wireless charging;
  • a 4.7-inch True high-definition IPS display; and
  • though this one is based on rumours, a dual-core Snapdragon processor.

LG could certainly use a hit. During the first quarter of 2012, it managed to grab the bottom spot on IDC’s list of the top-shipping mobile phone vendors, despite posting a year-over-year loss of 44.1 percent.

While during the first quarter of 2011 it controlled a 6.1 percent share of the overall mobile phone market – to Apple’s 4.6 percent, Nokia’s 26.8 and Samsung’s 17.1 percent – the most recent first quarter told a much different story.

Market share battle

This year, Samsung pulled ahead of Nokia, claiming 23.5 percent of the market to Nokia’s 20.8 percent, followed by Apple, with 8.8 percent – on 88.4 percent year-on-year growth, the industry’s best growth by a large margin.

ZTE, with a 4.8 percent share, on 27 percent year-on-year growth, took fourth place, while LG followed, with its market share down to 3.4 percent.

In IDC’s smartphone maker rankings for the first quarter LG failed, along with ZTE, to make the top five, replaced by Research In Motion and HTC.

While LG may not be shipping a good deal of new phones, its older devices are in the hands of a lot of US users – more, in fact, than Apple iPhones or HTC and Motorola devices combined.

According to a 3 April report from comScore, which looked at US mobile subscribers ages 13 years and older, during a three-month period ending in February, LG handsets were being used by 19.4 percent of the 30,000 subscribers surveyed, down from 20.5 percent during the previous three months.

Apple devices, during the most-recent three-month period, were used by 13.5 percent of subscribers, Motorola phones by 12.8 percent and Samsung phones a 25.6 percent of subscribers.

How much do you know about smartphones? Take our quiz.

Michelle Maisto

Michelle Maisto covers mobile devices, Android and Apple for eWEEK and is also a food writer.

Recent Posts

OpenAI In Talks With California Over For-Profit Shift

OpenAI reportedly begins early talks with California attorney general over complex transition from nonprofit to…

12 hours ago

EU To Assess Apple’s iPad Compliance Plans

European Commission says it will review Apple's iPad compliance with DMA rules as it seeks…

13 hours ago

James Dyson Says ‘Spiteful’ Budget Will Kill Start-Ups

James Dyson delivers most high-profile criticism so far of Labour's first Budget that raises £40bn…

13 hours ago

Nvidia, Meta Ask Supreme Court To Axe Investor Lawsuits

Nvidia, Meta bring cases before US Supreme Court this month seeking tighter limits on investors'…

14 hours ago

Nvidia To Replace Intel On Dow Jones Industrial Average

Nvidia to replace Intel this week on Dow Jones Industrial Average after years of turmoil…

14 hours ago

Toyota-Backed Joby Flies ‘Air Taxi’ In Japan

Joby Aviation and Toyota Motor complete demonstration flight in Shizuoka as companies prepare to bring…

15 hours ago