Samsung, LG in rare smartphone competition again

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are expected to compete over flagship smartphone market share in South Korea.

Both companies are expected to produce around 300,000 units of their Galaxy Z Flip 5G and LG Wing smartphones, respectively.

LG will be producing its dual screen smartphone in Vietnam. The company earlier shifted its South Korean production line to the Southeast Asian country.

Samsung is planning to produce most of the unit for the 5G version of its foldable phone the Z Flip in Gumi, South Korea. Around 15% of the total units will be produced in Vietnam.

The original Galaxy Z Flip that only supported 4G LTE connectivity that launched earlier this year were popular with women, telco sources say. Samsung is expecting the same trend for the 5G model as well.

LG is talking up navigation and multi-tasking features on the Wing. A person with direct knowledge of the development of the dual screen smartphone said there were many questions in the beginning on why such a phone was necessary. But this has recently changed as there seems to be real applications for such a smartphone concept, they said.

LG Wing will use an OLED panel as the main display and LCD as the secondary display. Another person familiar with the matter said consumer will notice the difference and the choice was made to save cost on LG’s part.

The dual screen smartphone will have a price rag of around a million won. Galaxy Z Flip 5G is priced at 1.65 million won and is going on sale on September 18.

LG’s next smartphone, code named B Project, which will have a rollable display, will be the second phone after Wing in its new Explorer Lineup. B Project will launch early next year.