14 DAY TRIAL // Windows Mobile would be the primary smartphone platform for LG going forward, Microsoft announced at the Mobile World Congress 2009 in Barcelona on February 16, 2009. The Redmond company and LG have deepened their alliance on the foundation of a memorandum of understanding signed on Novembers 3, 2008. As a direct consequence of the agreement, LG will deliver 26 new Windows phones to the market in 2012 alone. However, Microsoft emphasized that the partnership could result in the offering of as most as 50 new LG phones.
“New LG phones running Windows will take advantage of the excitement in this dynamically growing market,” Yong Nam, vice chairman and chief executive officer, LG Electronics, revealed. “The Windows platform brings flexible and customer-friendly software that ties into the Web and the PC, giving our phones a wide range of new capabilities to address an increasing number of segments and markets.”
Even in 2009, LG will boost its production of Windows Mobile-based phones ten times. LG-GM730 is an illustrative example in this context, which will feature Windows Mobile 6.1 in the first half of this year, while in the second half will come with Windows Mobile 6.5.
At the same time, Microsoft and LG are bound to create a joint team focused on research and development that will explore the integration of Windows Mobile OS with the hardware infrastructure available, as well as develop new powerful features. LG Electronics is the third-largest mobile handset maker worldwide, and, in this context, Microsoft's Windows Mobile OS is due to be highly resorted to, as the volume of LG Windows phones will explode.
“Windows phones enable people to tap into digital experiences that span their lives so they can connect to the people, information and services they care about most,” Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer at Microsoft, said. “Integrating Windows software with LG’s design leadership will bring new experiences to help enrich people’s lives.”