Digital leader lauded for outstanding performance and design excellence
Dubai - Global and regional digital leader LG Electronics has been nominated 'Most Promising Vendor of the Year' at the Frost and Sullivan Asia Pacific Technology Awards 2005, hosted in conjunction with CommunicAsia 2005.
LG has grown rapidly since it began its CDMA handset operations in 1996. In 2004, sales of GSM handsets trebled over the previous year to 18 million units and CDMA sales increased to 26 million units, making LG the world's top CDMA vendor and the fastest-growing mobile handset supplier. LG also overtook Siemens as the world's fourth most popular mobile phone brand in the first quarter of 2005.
According to IDC reports, LG clocked sales of 11 million units in the first quarter of 2005 to capture 6.4 per cent market share worldwide. The company has witnessed year-on-year growth of 26.9 per cent from 2004. Last year, LG sold three million 3G handsets to Hutchison 3G, the global 3G services leader, which has networks in eight Asian and European countries.
"We have won further recognition of our leadership in mobile convergence technology with this award. We are on course to become a world leader in next generation mobile technology and, by introducing new models, LG is consolidating its reputation as a technology innovator. LG is targeting sales of US$ 300 million in handsets in the Middle East and Africa region this year; globally we expect to register a 50 per cent growth to seize the third spot in handsets in two years," said K H Kim, President, LG Electronics, Middle East and Africa Operations.
The company unveiled six new features-rich mobile phones at CommunicAsia 2005. The hi-tech new phones include the DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) phone, a new slide phone, a five-mega pixel camera phone, a 3-D game phone, an MP3 music phone and a handset modeled on a sports car.
"2004 was an outstanding year for LG. Using a well-defined strategy, the company has very quickly managed to become a global handset vendor. This is the result of a strong customer focus and emphasis on design and product innovation. Frost and Sullivan believes that LG Electronics is well poised become one of the top three handset vendors in the world," said Manoj Menon, Partner, Frost and Sullivan.
LG's A7150 handset was named the 'most fashionable mobile phone' award at the Asian Mobile News Awards 2005. The A7150 is a sophisticated GSM/EDGE (Enhanced Data-Rates for GSM Evolution) handset that offers users advanced voice features and mobile data services via high-speed Internet connections. The handset is user friendly with one touch semi-automatic slide and a built-in rotating camera.
LG has consistently won international design recognition such as the IF Design Award, the Reddot Design Award and the Ergonomic Design Award. LG's plasma TV and DMB notebook PC were also labeled 'cool gadgets' by IT World, operated by the international research and media marketing group, IDG. Both these products were launched in the Middle East in May 2005.
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About EDGE
EDGE is a technology enhancement over GSM because it alleviates some voice traffic bandwidth and enables higher data throughput, maximising overall efficiency and performance of the network and services. It provides the platform for more efficient content delivery and more robust mobile services such as MMS, XHTML and Java(TM) technology at data speeds initially more than double that of existing GSM/GPRS networks.
LG Electronics, Inc. (Korea Stock Exchange: 066570.KR) was established in 1958 as the pioneer in the Korean consumer electronics market. The company is a major global force in electronics and information and communications products with more than 64,000 employees working in 76 overseas subsidiaries and marketing units around the world. With annual total revenues of more than US $16.9 billion (non-consolidated), LG Electronics conducts its business in three main areas: Digital Display & Media, Digital Appliances, and Telecommunications Equipment & Handsets.
LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company is the world's leading manufacturer of WCDMA (UMTS), CDMA and GSM handsets, and the fastest growing manufacturer of mobile phones worldwide. The company provides a total range of wired and wireless solutions, and is rapidly establishing a global presence as it cultivates international market share in 3G handsets.
LG Electronics' goal is to enable the intelligent networking of digital products that will make consumers' lives better than ever. For more information, please visit www.lge.com
About Frost & Sullivan and Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Technology Awards
Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has a proud history of providing cutting-edge innovative growth solutions and strategies to some of the world's leading Global 1000 companies and it is building on this legacy in the Asia Pacific region. With the largest team of analysts in the Asia Pacific, Frost & Sullivan's Technology Practice Division is dedicated to researching Information & Communications Technology (ICT) in the region.
The Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Technology Awards are held annually to recognize outstanding performance by companies and individuals in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry in Asia Pacific.
About Asian MobileNews and Asian MobileNews Awards
Asian MobileNews is a leading publication for mobile telecoms operators in Asia. It covers all new handsets, applications, technology and people in mobile telecoms in Asia. A business magazine for leaders in mobile carriers and operators and makers of mobile handsets, its editorial brief analyses trends, news and intelligence for leaders in the Asian mobile industry.
For more information, please contact:
Hamad M. Malik
Director
LGE Middle East & Africa Operations
Marketing & Corporate Communications
Fax: +9714-3370515
Tel: +9714-3348522
Email: hamad@lge.com
Shilpa Mathai
Polaris Public Relations
Dubai
UAE
Tel: +9714-3340066
Fax: +9714-3341326
Email: s.mathai@polaris-me.com
Rami Halawani
Polaris Public Relations
Dubai
UAE
Tel: +9714-3340066
Fax: +9714-3341326
Email: r.halawani@polaris-me.com
© Press Release 2005
