LG has confirmed – as expected – that the LG Rollable concept will not be developed as a consumer product.
Following the announcement the Korean firm is folding its mobile unit, LG says none of its phones currently in development will see the light of day.
That includes the the LG V70 smartphone, despite leaked images of the handset reportedly and the LG Rollable showing up online. That means the LG V60 and LG Wing are the last smartphones to ever leave the LG stable.
In a comment to Android Authority, an LG representative reportedly said: “Not sure how authentic those images are but neither device will be developed any further.” We’ve followed up with LG in search of a full statement.
It’s likely, if the images are authentic, that they pre-date the announcement made by LG this week. The decision to leave followed months of speculation LG was getting out of the smartphone game, after years of underwhelming handsets that cost the company countless millions.
Opinion: LG’s mobile exit is a warning to all
In a statement issued on Sunday, the company said: “LG’s strategic decision to exit the incredibly competitive mobile phone sector will enable the company to focus resources in growth areas such as electric vehicle components, connected devices, smart homes, robotics, artificial intelligence and business-to-business solutions, as well as platforms and services,” the company said in a statement.
Ironically, the company chose to call it quits after revealing the most potentially intriguing handset in years. At CES 2021 in January, the firm showed off its LG Rollable concept, that demonstrated a smooth expandable display that revealed a larger, tablet-like screen.
Should the device have come to fruition, it would have provided an alternative to the foldable form factor, which is yet to truly take off due to the prohibitive costs and concerns about reliability. The likes of Samsung, Huawei and Motorola have yet to outline a cast iron use case for the form factor either. We wouldn’t be surprised if another company took up the mantle and copied LG’s design.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
