South Korean LG electronics' handset sales to top 4tn Won

South Korea's No. 2 tech giant LG Electronics Inc. is expected to see the combined sales of its handsets surpass 4 trillion won (US$3.9 billion) in the third quarter, analysts said Sunday, citing robust shipments of its flagship smartphone.
It would mark the first time for the latecomer in the smartphone industry to see its handset sales hover above the 4 trillion won mark since the third quarter of 2009, according to (Yonhap) news agency.
Analysts attributed the expected sales improvement to LG's latest smartphone, the G3, which has been receiving positive feedbacks from overseas markets.
LG released the G3 in the United States through four mobile carriers, Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint this month. The G3, first launched on the domestic market at end-May, is currently being sold in several Asian and European countries, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Britain and France.
Analysts added the sales of the G3 in China, the world's largest mobile market, slated to start during the third quarter, will also lend further support to LG's top line.
"Despite the launch of the iPhone 6 (slated for the second half of 2014), the combined sales of the G3 will reach 6 million units globally this year," said Mirae Asset Securities Co.
Daishin Securities Co. echoed the view, saying LG's profitability in the third quarter will improve as the company changes its focus to high-end models, compared with the low-end-oriented strategy in the April-June period.
The G3 has a 5.5-inch screen whose quality is four times that of standard high-definition resolution and features the world's first 2,560X1,440 Quad HD display.
Like its predecessor G2, the G3 has all its buttons on the rear of the device to allow users to quickly access its power and volume controls. The thinner phone with a curvy design also fits more naturally into the hand.
The brushed metallic look and removable back cover that permit users to change batteries are viewed as other selling points of the phone.
LG eventually aims to sell the G3 in 100 countries around the globe via 170 mobile carriers.