LG G2 4G LTE variant launched in India at Rs 46,000

LG has launched 4G LTE of its flagship G2 smartphone in India at Rs 46,000 for the 16GB variant, and Rs. 49,000 for the 32GB variant. The smartphone will be made available by mid-March. The 4G LTE version sports same specifications as that of LG G2 besides apart from the additional 4G LTE support.

The LG G2 comes with a 5.2-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) display, with a pixel density of 423ppi. It is powered by Qualcomm's quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor that's clocked at 2.26GHz. The device comes with 2GB of RAM.

The device packs in a 13-megapixel rear camera with Optical Image Stabilisation and a 2.1-megapixel front shooter. The device runs Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2.


The G2 4G LTE version comes with a unique design that features the power buttons and the volume rocker at the back of the phone, below the rear camera, instead of the sides of the phone. The smartphone also offers extremely thin bezels at 2.65mm.

The smartphone is powered by a 3000mAh battery.

The company had earlier unveiled G2 mini, a lighter version of the flagship G2 which features a smaller 4.7-inch IPS LCD display with a qHD (540x960 pixels) resolution.


The company is also planning to launch the LG Life Band Touch wristband in second half of 2014, which was previously unveiled during the CES 2014.

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Samsung, LG may set up chip-making units in India

South Korean multinational conglomerates Samsung and LG are considering setting up units to manufacture electronic chips in India, following the government's clearance to build two such semiconductor units.

Republic of Korea's Ambassador to India Joon-gyu Lee at a recent event said the Indian government wants to get companies like Samsung and LG, which manufacture semiconductors, to start this operation here as well.

"The companies (LG and Samsung) are considering the Indian request. The problem is Indian style of slow processes," Lee said.


No comments were received from the companies. Last week, the Cabinet approved setting up of two semiconductor units entailing total investments of Rs 63,410 crore. One unit would be set up by a consortium led by Jaiprakash Associates and the other by Hindustan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (HSMC).

In September, the Cabinet had given in-principle nod to the projects.

India does not have a semiconductor plant yet. Semiconductor, or electronic chip, is the main hardware component that is key to the functioning of devices such as mobiles and computers as well as hi-tech defence equipment.


These components are vital for cybersecurity too as they can used to manipulate functions in a product or for spying purposes.

China already has a wide lead over India as it has about 100 facilities. Demand for electronic products in India is expected to rise about 10 times to reach $400 billion by 2020.

As per market research firm Gartner, Samsung was among top 5 semiconductor companies in terms of revenue in 2012.


The worldwide semiconductor foundry market totaled $34.6 billion in 2012. Samsung was ranked 5th with market share of 3.7% at revenue of $1,295 million.

Israel-based Tower Jazz and US-based IBM, which are investing in India as part of the Jaiprakash Associates led consortium, were ranked 6th and 7th in terms of revenue in global market, as per Gartner.

The consortium led by HSMC has ST Microelectronics and Silterra as partners.

Details pertaining to LG's semiconductor business could not be ascertained.

India has announced it would provide 25% subsidy on capital expenditure and tax reimbursement under Modified Special Incentive Package Scheme Policy and exemption of basic customs duty for non-covered capital items for companies setting up semiconductor plant(s).

In addition, investing companies will be eligible for 200% deduction on expenditure on research and development under Section 35 (2AB) of the Income Tax (IT) Act and investment-linked deductions under Section 35AD of the IT Act.

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LG Display posts robust Q4 profit amid Apple worries

LG Display Co Ltd reported a second consecutive quarterly profit, beating forecasts by far on a rebound in television sales during the year-end holiday season and solid sales of screens used in Apple Inc's iPad and iPhone.

But concerns about slower growth for Apple products have risen, particularly in the wake of disappointing earnings from the U.S. company on Wednesday, and analysts have forecast earnings for the South Korean screen maker to slide in the first quarter.

LG Display said it expected its LCD panel shipments to decline by around 15 percent in the first quarter from the previous quarter.

The company, which provides about 70 percent of Apple iPad screens and vies with Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's panel unit for the top position in liquid crystal display flat screens globally, reported 587 billion won in operating profit for the October-December quarter.


That beat an average prediction for a 441 billion won profit in a poll of eight analysts by Thomson Reuters and was up from an operating loss of 155 billion won for the same period a year earlier.

It also marks its highest quarterly profit since the second quarter of 2010 and a continuation of a turnaround that began in July-September after seven straight quarters of losses, mainly due to an industry oversupply of TV panels. Sales rose to 8.7 trillion won in the quarter, a quarterly record.


Apple sold 18 million more iPhones in the December quarter from the previous quarter, as it expanded iPhone 5 sales. The introducion of the iPad mini also boosted LG's panel shipments.


But hit by growing worries about demand for Apple products, LG Display's shares have lost about 17 percent since December after gaining 40 percent in the first 11 months of 2012. Prior to the results, they closed down 1.2 percent, underperforming a 0.8 percent decline in the broader market.


Apple's iPhone sales were, however, weaker than expected, fanning fears that its dominance of the mobile industry was slipping.

In forecasts made prior to Apple and LG Display's reuslts, analysts expect LG Display's first-quarter operating profit to tumble to around 123 billion won.

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