By Android could very well become the #2 mobile operating system by the end of 2010. While the holidays will offer a huge thrust, analysts have predicted that more rapid adoption and promotion by Samsung and LG would fuel further momentum and growth. Samsung has been absolutely crushing it lately, launching their Samsung Galaxy S on all 4 American carriers and quickly selling 1 million units in the states, followed by last night’s announcement that the Samsung Galaxy Pad would be available on the BIG 4 as well – and in time for the holidays.
LG, on the other hand, seems to be stuck in the mobile doldrums. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that LG Electronics CEO – Nam Yong, resigned Friday “amid difficulties reshaping its cellphone business for smartphones.”
I can’t comment on the inner workings of LG, but compared to other top manufacturers they’re certainly getting blown out of the water. HTC and Motorola seem to run the Android show featuring Sony Ericsson and Samsung. But Sammy now seems poised for a starring role, too. Why is LG stuck on the Android D-List?
Hopefully this move will be a kick in the pants and the company can turn things around in relation to Android. Considering Android is the fastest growing mobile OS, it seems like success in this area can make or break your entire mobile strategy. Dumb phones and feature phones still exist (and may even thrive in lesser developed countries), and you’ve still got other proprietary operating systems such as Bada and WebOS eager to make an impact, but clearly LG is understanding they missed the first Android boat and they don’t want to be stuck on “we can’t sell any phones” island.
Just last month, we heard LG was looking to cut their handset offering from 145 to 70 in an effort to focus and streamline their smartphone offerings. And 15 of their 20 smartphones would be Android. With the hopes of selling 6 million smartphones by the end of 2010, you have to wonder if obvious shortcomings in those goals were to blame for Yong’s resignation. If you ask me… they seem a bit dazed and confused.
To their credit, LG has been working on their Optimus line of Android phones but as Quentyn summed up only a few days ago, “these phones aren’t the powerhouses we once thought them to be.” And what about an Optimus Pad? In my opinion there is still PLENTY of room for mid-range and lower end Android phones such as an LG enV Android, but the company NEEDS that high end Android to tear the game open and attract consumers (and attention/brandability) to their entire line of Android Phones.
I’m hoping LG and their new CEO, Koo Bon-joon, can turn around their Android initiatives. With Android, customers win when more competition fuels high quality companies to put out the best products and push each other further. Hopefully this is the push LG needs.
LG might just need to advertise their phones “Buy the phones, girls are included”
The one in the middle is hot.
What about the dual core tegra2 phone!?! Please say it’s on it’s way still!!
That logo is hilarious..
LG just has not yet relesaed a phone competitive with the EVO, Incedible, Droid X and Samsung Galaxy S. That is why it is suffering.
One of the biggest issue with Android is the fragmentation, if LG want to compete in this Arena of super smartphone, they have to step up . Especially when you have these super phone like Htc Evo, Droid X, Nexus one, Droid Incredible, Samsung Galaxy S line. That’s applied to every manufacture if competition is what you aiming for you won’t survive by bring inferior products.
I’ll take the girl on the left please. Thank you. You can keep your crappy phone though.
How about they get some serious Android options up and running in the states. The Ally is currently on Verizon, but it’s only one. That would be like HTC stopping at the Eris on VZW, the Hero on Sprint and the G1 on T-Mobile. Plus the Ally is a very low end Android phone. They need to get serious about this. Optimus seems like a good start but it’s not even state side. You want to get back into this game LG, it’s time to open up the playbook and start airing it out. If you still don’t bounce back then all that will mean it was too little too late anyway.
the girl on the left… definitely the girl on the left…
Never had an Asian Girl before….and apparently ill never have An LG Android Phone on Sprint either…
If LG wanted to make some waves in the Android world, they could start selling high-end phones with vanilla android, since nobody else seems to be interested in that.
LG sucks…that’s why they can’t compete.
Android washers and dryers ?
:-)
@Alex – Absolutely ! I can’t believe how many phones are coming out with some sad proprietary veneer of a UI on top of Android. I’ve only owned “pure” Android phones (G1, Droid), but I have to think that these “veneers” only slow the progression of Android versions. LG could have their own niche with beautiful phones running Android “straight up”.
That would be interesting… A high end Android running Vanilla. I’d like to see a high end EnV Android… the Droid EnV-S (“envious”).
Has catch phrase possibilities –
Are you “Env-S”?
Is your Droid “EnV-S”?
Is your phone “EnV-S”?
There you go LG, I just came up with your new flagship device and your marketing… I’ll be expecting payment in full.
LG’s Android phone line-up currently sucks, end of story.
Now back to the main topic. If I had to rank them, I’d say the girl in the middle first, the the one on the left and last would be the one on the right.
+1 Alex
I guess that LG is now in a corner out of which they will be able to get only by doing what nobody else appears to be willing to do: give full choice to the consumer. This means a variety of phones hardware wise and all running stock android – it will be like buying a PC based on what YOU want and upgrading the OS whenever Google releases a new version.