LG to produce more 3G phones than Samsung this year

Thanks to heavy demand in China, manufacturer LG is expected to produce more 3G handsets than fellow Korean company Samsung this year. LG was the only phone manufacturer selected by all three Chinese 3G carriers as a mobile phone provider. Last year LG increased its market share of 3G handsets from 11.5% to 18.4% and that figure is expected to rise to 25.2% of the market according to Worri Investment and Securities. Samsung had 18.4% of the 3G market in 2007, 22.9% last year and is forecast to have 25.1% this year, just under LG's forecasted share.

LG started this year with only 3.8% of the Chinese market during the first quarter, well behind leaders Nokia (32%), Samsung (18%) and Motorola (9%). But LG plans on flooding China with a line of high-end smartphones and also will be releasing the Voyager through China Telecom;  the model sold 3.5 million units in the U.S. and the manufacturer is looking for big things from the Chinese version of the device. Also helpful to LG is the report from NH Investment and Securities that China Telecom has promised LG one third of their 3G phone production.

source: Telecoms Korea