SEOUL: LG Electronics Inc. is expected to launch its first 5G smartphone, the V50 ThinQ, in South Korea next week after work to ensure its performance on the new network standard, industry sources said Friday.
LG had initially planned to launch the V50 in South Korea in late April but pushed back the schedule to optimize the phone's functions and network interoperability with the existing LTE network.
"Final tests have been under way for the V50 ThinQ for the goal of releasing it May 10," an industry source familiar with the matter said.
It will be the second 5G phone launched in the domestic market, following Samsung''s Galaxy S10 that hit shelves April 5.
LG has been exploring ways to reverse the fate of its sluggish mobile business, which has posted operating losses for eight consecutive quarters.
The V50, which comes with a detachable second screen, uses the U.S.tech giant Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 855 chipset and its X50 5G modem.
Its 128-gigabyte model costs 1.2 million won (US$1,054) in the domestic market.
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