REST IN PEACE LG MOBILE

LG announces it will close its mobile phone business by 31 July 2021

LG is to close its camera phone division by the end of July 2021. While at one time LG used to be the third-largest smartphone supplier in the world, in recent times it has faired less well, suffering losses in excess of £3.2 billion since 2015. While this may not directly impact many professional photographers the loss of LG as a player in the cameraphone market is significant, since the South Korea-based company is responsible for some breakthrough technologies in the sector. Notable innovations include the incorporation of wide-angle lenses in smartphones – R&D which will influence camera evolution for many years to come.

The firm says, “LG’s strategic decision to exit the incredibly competitive mobile phone sector will enable the company to focus resources in growth areas such as electric vehicle components, connected devices, smart homes, robotics, artificial intelligence and business-to-business solutions”. LG reassures existing customers that it will continue to support and provide software updates for its mobile products “for a period of time which will vary by region”.