LG Electronics Inc., Korea's No. 2 mobile phone maker, said Tuesday it plans to release the Optimus G next month in a bid to reclaim its mobile phone clout and better compete with top players Samsung Electronics Co. and Apple Inc.
The Optimus G is set to hit local shelves next month and expand sales to overseas markets by the end of the year, the company said in a news release. The model will be available via all three local mobile carriers -- SK Telecom Co., KT Corp. and LG Uplus Corp.
In Japan, the long-term evolution (LTE) model is expected to be released through No. 1 carrier NTT DoCoMo Inc. in early October.
The Optimus G, with a Qualcomm Inc.'s Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor, features a G2 Touch Hybrid technology which enables a slimmer design and an enhanced touch sensitivity.
The True HD IPS+ display, developed by LG Display, supports improved brightness and energy efficiency, according to LG.
The latest model, also dubbed the "chairman" phone due to LG chairman Koo Bon-moo's involvement with the model, is the latest in LG's efforts to turn around its sluggish mobile business and catch up with leading smartphone makers.
Top smartphone maker Samsung saw sales of the Galaxy S3, the newest addition to its Galaxy line-up, top 10 million units since its release in late May, while Apple is widely anticipated to unveil its long-awaited iPhone 5 next month.
LG, meanwhile, has been suffering due to a dearth of signature smartphones and a prolonged deficit in its mobile business.
"The G in the model name symbolizes LG's efforts to provide the greatest user interface and experience on the back of the greatest technology," said an LG official, stressing how LG affiliates - LG Chem, LG Display and LG Innotek - teamed up to create the best model.
Analysts projected the new LTE device would pose a positive impact on LG's presence in the global smartphone market.
"The Optimus G has received positive response from mobile carriers," Meritz Securities Co. analyst Ji Mok-hyun said in a report.
"The ongoing patent dispute between Apple and Samsung is also likely to have limited impact on LG since the design of the Optimus G is quite different from that of Apple devices," Ji said.
In the April-June period, LG tied with China's ZTE as the world's eight-largest smartphone maker, according to data by market researcher Strategy Analytics. (Yonhap)