LG might sell iPhones in its stores after quitting Android devices
David Imel / Android Authority
TL; DR
- LG will reportedly start selling iPhones and iPads in its South Korean stores in August.
- It would only be a few months after LG stopped manufacturing Android devices.
- Macs would not be included.
LG may have to overcome some hurdles to achieve this. The company has reportedly signed a “win-win” agreement with the country’s National Mobile Communication Distribution Association prohibiting it from selling a direct competitor’s phones in its stores. However, that deal was finalized in 2018, or long before LG signaled that it would stop manufacturing phones and tablets. LG reportedly plans to renegotiate the deal once the iPhone and iPad are officially on sale in its stores.
See also: In memory of the best LG phones ever made
We asked LG for a comment. Unsurprisingly, the deal doesn’t include Macs, as systems like the MacBook Air directly compete with the Gram series and other LG computers where the iPhone and iPad are relatively secure.
If the report is correct, this would not be an entirely shocking move. LG would effectively be leaving money on the table if it stopped selling mobile devices altogether. This makes it a complete solution to sell, even if the integration is no longer as tight as it was before. And yes, that could help LG undermine its arch-rival Samsung – every iPhone or iPad sold robs Samsung of a potential Galaxy customer.
Still, we wouldn’t blame you for being sad. Once one of the largest phone manufacturers in the world, LG is known for its sometimes bitter battles with Apple – this writer recalls that LG blew up the iPad when it launched its first Android tablet. Now, after years of poor sales and missteps, LG could be “reduced” to selling the iPhone.
