[THE INVESTOR] LG Electronics on Aug. 31 hinted at launching its upcoming premium smartphone V20 in India, a market that was excluded for the predecessor V10’s debut last year.

“We have recently decided to launch the V20 in India. The launch will come within the month,” LG’s India chief Kim Ki-wan was quoted as saying by local newspapers.

India is the world’s third-largest smartphone market after China and the US. Handset makers are upping their ante in the market not just with budget phones but also with their latest high-priced premium models to appeal to the growing middle class. 




LG plans to unveil the V20 worldwide at separate launch events in San Francisco on Sept. 6 and in Seoul on Sept. 7.

The Korean tech giant launched the large-screen V series in October last year, a new premium lineup together with the flagship G series.

The second-generation V20 is the first smartphone to feature Google’s latest Android operating system Nougat. Other key features include upgraded audio and camera functions and a separate, always-on second display on top of the main screen.


By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)