LG Signature Edition. (image: LG Electronics)
SEOUL, Apr. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — LG Electronics Inc. said Tuesday it will showcase its new flagship smartphone, the LG G7 ThinQ, in early May, which will come with improved artificial intelligence (AI) features.
The smartphone will be introduced in New York, the United States, on May 2, followed by another launch event in Seoul on the following day.
The South Korean tech giant said the upcoming smartphone will become its first G model to come with “ThinQ” in its title, which is LG Electronics’ AI vision that centers on “thinking from consumers’ perspective.”
Last month, LG Electronics released the LG V30S ThinQ, which came with various AI features, including a voice-recognition system and a smart camera that can identify objects and provide optimized shooting modes to users. Other AI features include the Q-Voice, which is designed to activate the camera, phone and text-message applications through voice commands.
The company said not only will the LG G7 ThinQ come with upgraded conveniences compared with its predecessors, it will also boast better connectivity with other devices.
“We have been focusing on adding new and various features to smartphones. Now is the moment to provide solutions on helping users utilize them conveniently,” LG Electronics said, claiming the new device will come with “unprecedented convenience” by combining all technology know-how of LG built from home appliances and handset businesses.
The fate of LG Electronics’ mobile business also lies on the new flagship, as the segment has been standing as a major drag for its operating profits.
The mobile communications business has been losing money amid heightened competition from Samsung Electronics Co., Apple Inc. and other emerging Chinese rivals.
While LG Electronics did not release performances of respective business divisions for the first quarter, industry watchers presume that the company probably posted an operating loss for the 12th consecutive quarter as of the January-March period.
The company did manage to post an operating profit of 3.7 billion won (US$3.4 million) for the first quarter of 2017, but the gain was made possible through a later adjustment by reflecting returns from its accessories business. LG originally said it posted a shortfall for the period.
For all businesses, LG Electronics said last week its first-quarter operating profit is presumed to have risen 20.2 percent on-year to 1.1 trillion won.
With the quarterly figure being the second-highest ever posted by the company on the back of strong returns from home appliances and TVs, the mobile arm remains as a major task for its long-term growth strategy.
(Yonhap)
