14 DAY TRIAL // Leading mobile phone maker LG Electronics has launched on the South Korean market its first handset powered by Google's Android operating system, the LG KH5200. The handset arrives on the market on the airwaves of KT, and is the second Android-based handset available in the country, following the previous launch of Motorola Motoroi, now available via SK Telecom.
The LG smartphone includes a 3.2-inch touchscreen display, coupled with a sliding QWERTY keyboard, and with a 5-megapixel photo snapper. Moreover, the Android-based mobile phone also includes built-in GPS receiver, Wi-Fi connectivity options, a range of social networking features and other capabilities, as well as a microSD memory card slot with support for up to 32GB of additional storage space.
The price tag for the handset has been set at around $573, reports fiercewireless, which also notes that this launch is yet another effort from LG to strengthen its smartphone portfolio worldwide. Moreover, previous reports have also shown that LG intends to launch more Android-based handsets during the ongoing year, even if it also remains committed to Microsoft's Windows Mobile platform.
As for the new LG KH5200 handset launched in South Korea, Engadget points out that it looks like a remix of the GW620, the Android-based handset LG has launched during the last year. The handset is said to come with the name of Andro-1, and is also expected to be offered by the wireless carrier on various deals that will even have the phone available for free for users on plans that start at 45,000 won or higher.
Currently, LG does not enjoy a front seat in the smartphone market, it seems, but it does plan to make great steps forward. The handset vendor aims at accounting for a double-digit smartphone market share by 2012, fiercewireless notes. However, LG's competitors also aim at gaining more market share during the ongoing year, such as Samsung, which is said to plan tripling its smartphone sales during 2010.