LG unveiled the V50 ThinQ and the G8 smartphones at the same time in 2019. That’s why the February 2020 launch of the V60 ThinQ brought some more questions than answers for those who love the products made by this manufacturer. Concerned reactions were that another handset wasn’t in the works, which would mean the L9 would never become a reality.
Reports from South Korea, first offered by a news site called Naver, reports that LG wants to find a way to shake up its strategy for introducing smartphones. Many consumers rejected the idea of buying a mobile device from this manufacturer because of the cost profile.
Burying the G series would mean a new and more affordable mobile device could become a disruptor in the current smartphone industry.
Why Does LG Need a Different Strategy?
LG is a smartphone manufacturer that doesn’t have a demographic home anymore. Samsung and Apple effectively control the premium end of the spectrum for the industry, while Chinese brands are muscling into the entry-level market with lower-priced MSRPs on products with improved features.
That means LG is no longer a big player in the marketplace. The phones already struggled because the equipment lacked anything that distinguished the brand from others. Moving to a more affordable product could help it to capture customers who want to avoid Chinese products without investing in a premium brand.
LG responded to the reports of its cancelation of the G series by speaking about the benefits that the phones initially introduced to the market. These devices were the first to add edge technology to the screens, wide-angle cameras, and Hi-Fi audio. It was also one of the first smart devices that gave consumers a 1440p display.
Unfortunately, the smartphone marketplace is a “what have you done for me lately?” environment. LG hopes to answer that question by still looking at the past.
Can LG Replicate Success from a Previous Model?
One of LG’s most popular phones was the KG800 Chocolate, first released in 2006. The company has an unnamed phone in development that hopes to replicate the popularity of that device by pushing a ton of features in front of the consumer.
The new smartphone provides four rear cameras – including a 48-megapixel primary option. It’s powered by a Snapdragon 700-series chipset, which means LG wants to push the envelope of a mid-range phone without pushing into the premium marketplace.
A screen that’s almost seven inches across is part of the design, along with the support of a second screen that has become an LG trademark at this point. It would potentially be the first genuine 5G device from the company when released.
Is the new phone the next iteration of the G series? Did LG scrap it by eliminating the G9 from production? We should have the answers to these questions by the end of 2020.