LG, KT likely to offer free smartphone

Local consumers may be able to get a free smartphone starting next week.

KT, the country`s No. 2 mobile operator, plans to launch LG Electronics` smartphone LG GW620 next week, which will be sold almost for nothing if the buyer agrees to a two-year contract and a 45,000 won monthly plan with the mobile carrier, Yonhap News reported yesterday.

The model, which is based on the Android operating system, will be cheaper than other smartphones such as Apple`s iPhone, Samsung`s Omnia and Motorola`s Motoroi, which are sold at between 200,000 won and 300,000 won with a two-year contract and a 45,000 won monthly plan, the report said.

The free offering would be possible because the new model is cheaper than other smartphones, and KT is expected to offer subsidies similar to the ones of other phones, the report said. A KT spokesperson said its subsidies for the new smartphone have not been decided yet.

The phone will be the first Android phone to be launched for the Korean market.

LG, the world`s No. 3 handset maker, is striving to reverse its fortunes in the smartphone market by rolling out a series of smartphone models with operators here and overseas. The company saw its market share fall in Korea, its stronghold, last year because of the popularity of iPhone and Omnia.

(hjjin@heraldm.com)









By Jin Hyun-joo