Does anyone remember your LG phone? Probably not because the smartphone production race has skyrocketed since. But if you do, you should know that LG may no longer be part of the smartphone market this year. While nothing is finalized, the company has struggled over the past five years, losing around $4.5 billion.
LG CEO Kwon Bong-seok notified his employees of big changes he is considering for the company. According to The Korea Herald, Bong-seok had sent an internal memo indicating a change of direction for their phones.
“Since the competition in the global market for mobile devices is getting fiercer, it is about time for LG to make a cold judgment and the best choice. The company is considering all possible measures, including the sale, withdrawal, and downsizing of the smartphone business.”
LG CEO Kwon Bong-seok to The Korea Herald
Even with this, nothing has been decided yet. It seems LG Electronics is going to do whatever it takes to resolve its mobile business woes in 2021. Some sources report this “exiting” of the smartphone business completely false. We’ll never know, but we do know that LG has tried to wow its consumers with multiple phones. Those include the G7, V40, G8, and the V50. Competing against Samsung and Huawei with these is not enough, even if their rollable phone is in the works.
The challenge seems to be trying to get in the right direction. While trying to differentiate themselves from the oversaturated market, their rollable design seems creative at first glance. It’s possible that reaching for the futuristic aesthetic too soon may be their downfall. If the accompanying technology isn’t there to make it work, then it might fall prey to the likes of Apple, Vivo, Samsung, and Huawei.
With so many discontinued phones and the lack of enticing interface, we’ll see where they go in 2022.