LG Electronics is aiming high this year, saying it's expecting to sell about 75 million phones in 2013. That's up from the previous year's 55 million sales, mostly due to LG's intention to offer a Windows-based handset. Moreover, the South Korean company expects 45 million of those sales to be smartphones, while the rest will consist of budget phones with fewer features.
The announcement comes very soon after multiple reports claimed that LG was having trouble meeting its shipment estimate for the Nexus 4 phones. LG said that it was having no trouble with its supply chain and that everything was running smoothly.
Following news that Nokia's Windows Phone Lumia handsets enjoyed a successful fourth quarter, LG also mentioned plans to tap into the Windows Phone market in order to reach its sales expectations.
''We will release quite a number of new Optimus devices this year and LG also has some new smartphones in the works, that will run Microsoft's Windows Phone 8,'' said a senior executive from one of LG's local partners to the Korea Times.
LG has struggled to make a profit over the last couple years as Apple and Samsung continued to dominate the market. At the same time, rising competitors in the Chinese market like Huawei and ZTE put a dent in LG's pocket with their line-ups of budget-oriented phones.
''This year won't be as bullish for LG as last year. But LG's Optimus G and Nexus 4 impressed some major carriers and consumers. Because our budget Optimus smartphones are receiving lots of attention, we are confident to get our phone business on a rising track this year,'' said the executive.
In order to make some noise this year, the Korea Times also said that LG is expected to show off a phone/tablet "phablet" in Spain during the Mobile World Congress in February. The phablet will reportedly feature a 5.5-inch, full high-definition screen.
The company's current big product, the Nexus 4, has had some obstacles in its way but it's proving to be a hit for LG. Speculation is that the company sold 15 million handsets in the fourth quarter of 2012, which would be a big boost for the whole enterprise. Official fourth quarter earnings will be released later in January.
