The LG G6 missed its two-million sales target that the South Korean original equipment manufacturer (OEM) initially set this spring, industry sources with knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday. No concrete sales figures on the company’s latest Android-powered flagship have been provided by the insiders, though their claim indicates that LG’s mobile division is now set to continue struggling in the market, having already recorded losses in nine consecutive quarters. The phone maker’s premium G series has been underperforming for the last three years, with its last truly successful device being the LG G3 that launched in May 2014 and became the firm’s first smartphone to surpass ten billion sales.
The LG G4 recorded disappointing sales compared to its predecessor, prompting the Seoul-based consumer electronics manufacturer to opt for a major product design shift and release the modular LG G5 last year. The unconventional format of that model still didn’t resonate well with consumers, leading the company to make another major change with this year’s LG G6. Originally introduced at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 in Barcelona, Spain, the device debuted with a so-called Full Vision display panel with an unconventional aspect ratio of 18:9, i.e. 2:1, thus being noticeably taller than contemporary 16:9 smartphones. LG is now looking to transition that design language to its mid-range and entry-level devices, as evidenced by the company’s newly announced LG Q6 lineup, though some industry watchers believe that the firm’s struggles will be even more pronounced in these market segments that are now becoming dominated by Chinese OEMs and their aggressively priced, value-oriented devices.
The firm’s X and K lineups are still gaining some traction in its home country and North America, though it’s currently unclear whether that will be enough to compensate for recent industry trends that indicate consumers who aren’t interested in flagships are more inclined to opt for a Chinese brand when shopping for a smartphone. LG is also expected to have another attempt at regaining some market share in the premium segment later this year, with the company’s rumored LG V30 likely hitting the market by late summer. An update on LG’s mobile endeavors should hence follow shortly.