LG to Release Windows Phone 8 Handsets This Year

LG had released more details with its turnaround plan for its smartphone business as it intends to ship 75 million devices this year, with some of them being Windows Phone 8 smartphones. Of the 75 million devices, 45 million will be smartphones.

The company is also planning multiple Windows Phone 8 handsets, according to Unwired View, and will continue to build Android smartphones as well. After a hiatus after the launch of several Windows Phone 7 models, LG had been noticeably absent as a Windows Phone 8 launch partner, but it appears that this will change soon as the company is planning several Windows Phone 8 models to launch sometime this year.

It’s been a while since LG released a Windows Phone model. The company did release a Quantum smartphone on AT&T’s U.S. network with Windows Phone 7 and an LG Optimus 7 smartphone internationally. In the Windows Phone space, LG will have to compete against Nokia and HTC. It’s unclear what price points LG will cover, and if the company will release a high-end or mid-range model.

The attention towards Windows Phone 8 is rather unsurprising. Quite a few manufacturers have been concerned about Google’s dominance in the mobile space. Larger rival Samsung is diversifying its portfolio with a few Windows Phone 8 models and some new Tizen smartphones that are coming later this year. HTC is also looking towards Windows Phone 8 for growth.

Though LG hasn’t been in the limelight as much as Samsung, the company has been improving its image with recent smartphone launches, like the Nexus 4 and the Optimus G flagship.

For 2013, LG is rumored to launch a GK model in the early part of the year and an Optimus G2 smartphone later in the year, with both models speculated to have 1080p full HD resolution displays.