The South Korean electronics manufacturer LG is hoping to shift more of its appliances and televisions with the launch of a new keyless smartphone next month.
The LG G2, which has no side buttons, but just a control pad on the back of the phone, will be available next month in the UAE.
While the company currently enjoys third place in global smartphone shipments, according to Gartner, its share of the smartphone market in the Middle East is much smaller.
"We are getting better. We are not great at this point, but I am very confident with where we will be. LG is a major player in the smartphone business worldwide and within this year you will see LG becoming a bigger player here," said Duk Young Kim, the president of LG Gulf.
The UAE will be the company's first focus once it launches the G2.
"Once the smartphone sales are up, it will help the TV business," said Mr Kim. "If consumers have a good response to the phone, it will help the business and maximise the synergy effect."
LG has just under 30 per cent of the TV market in the UAE, but as the company rolls out devices and appliances that can connect to the smartphone and to one another, Mr Kim hopes that will boost overall sales.
"Connectivity is extremely important. All our products will be connected, but the key component will be the phone. We are not able to control cars with smartphones yet, but later, who knows? The technology is there, but so far we have seen the customer is not ready to accept complicated technology," said Mr Kim.
LG is working towards connected washing machines, fridges and other "smart" home appliances.
"We have to cooperate with different manufacturers, which takes time, but eventually everything will be connected," said Mr Kim.
[ thamid@thenational.ae ]
