LG Electronics takes world's no: 6 mobile handset slot

According to a report published by market research company Strategy Analytics, LG's handset business ranked number six for the second quarter of this year with a market share of 3.8%. LG was also the sixth largest in the world in the first half of this year with a 3.5% share of the global market.

The report is a major boost for LG Electronics, which last year was ranked ninth worldwide in the global supply volume and market share league. This year's leap by three places saw LG beat leading competitors such as Alcatel and Kyocera.

According to Strategy Analytics, LG supplied over 3.7 million CDMA and GSM handsets in the second quarter after delivering 3.1 million handsets in the first quarter of this year.

"With over 20 major handset makers, including Nokia and Motorola, locked in neck-to-neck competition in the global market where varying standards like GSM, TDMA, AMPS and CDMA co-exist, LGE achieved this global ranking thanks to growth in its shipment volume of CDMA handsets to North America as well as increased international sales of GSM handsets," explained M.B. Shin, President, Middle East & Africa Operations, LG Electronics.

"The Middle East and Africa contributed substantially to this performance with the successful entry into the mobile market within the UAE and lower Gulf. We now plan to be among the leading GSM mobile suppliers in this region by the end of next year, with a regional sales target of a million phones."

In the second quarter of this year, LGE sold over 5.1 million handsets outside Korea.

"The key to increased sales has been the focus on improving product competitiveness through continuous quality innovation and enhanced, top-end product leadership," said Shin.

LGE's handset business is expected to grow for the third quarter with the securing of a US $100 million contract in India and a healthy reception in the UAE and lower Gulf for the company's recently-launched value-for-money B1200 'bar-type' dual band phone.

"This competitively-priced, slim and compact phone is finding an enthusiastic following among the region's youth segment," said Shin. "LG is now making a name for itself in the regional mobile sector and this new model is helping us build on excellent foundations.

"Over the past four months we have supported dealer efforts with substantial investment in marketing and infrastructure and believe we now have a firm platform on which to move forward.

"We are resolutely committed to this market and will demonstrate this determination with future launches of cutting-edge technology. We recognise we live in accelerated times. Things that are contemporary this year can become unfashionable very quickly, hence our intent to bring new products quickly to market in a highly visible manner."