LG Electronics (LGE, Korean: LG전자) (KRX: 066570, LSE: LGLD) is the world's second-biggest maker of televisions [1] and third-biggest maker of mobile phones.[2]
With its headquarters in the LG Twin Towers in Yeouido, Seoul, South Korea, LG Electronics is the flagship company of LG Group, one of the world's largest electronic conglomerates.
The company has 75 subsidiaries worldwide that design and manufacture televisions, home appliances, and telecommunications devices. LG Electronics owns Zenith Electronics and controls 37.9 percent of LG Display.
Summary
By 2005, LG was a Top 100 global brand, and in 2006, LG recorded a brand growth of 14%.[3] Now the world's largest plasma panel manufacturer,[4] its affiliate, LG Display, is one of the largest manufacturers of liquid crystal displays. Also in 2006, the company's mobile phone division, LG Mobile, marketed the LG Chocolate phone, changing the company's image of the maker of thick 3G phones. It now focuses on the design and marketing of phones such as the LG Shine, the LG Glimmer and LG Prada (KE850). As a result, the company was picked as "The Design Team of the Year" by the red dot design award in 2006~2007 and is often called the "New Apple" in the industry and online communities.
Company history
The company was originally established in 1958 as GoldStar, producing radios, TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners.[5] The LG Group was a merger of two Korean companies, Lucky (from the Korean "Lakhui") and GoldStar, from which the abbreviation of LG was derived. The current "Life's Good" slogan is a backronym. Before the corporate name change to LG, household products were sold under the brand name of Lucky, while electronic products were sold under the brand name of GoldStar (Hangul:금성). In January 2009 LG was able to buy the domain name, LG.com, placing it among the companies who own their two letter brand's domain name.[6]
In 1994 GoldStar gained sponsorship from The 3DO Company to make the first 3DO Interactive Multiplayer. In 1995, GoldStar was renamed LG Electronics, and acquired Zenith Electronics of the United States. LG Solar Energy is a subsidiary formed in 2007 to allow LG Chem to supply polysilicon to LG Electronics for production of solar cells. In 2008, LG took its first dive into the solar-panel manufacturing pool, as it announced a preliminary deal to form a joint venture with Conergy. Under the deal, set to be completed by year's end, LG would acquire a 75 percent stake in Conergy's Frankfurt solar-panel plant.[7] LG has produced camcorders called ARTCAM and DSLRs [8]
LG Electronics sponsored the English football club Leicester City and Weyside Rovers (Guildford) from 2000 until 2002. LG Electronics currently sponsors the English football clubs Fulham F.C deals pulled together at that time by the ex-Marketing Director John Bernard, who now works for the competition, Sony Ericsson. LG also sponsor the Fremantle Football Club (an Australian Football League team) , the Australian National Rugby League club Cronulla Sharks and the Argentinian club Boca Juniors.
LG is one of the leading sponsor of Cricket. It sponsors the International Cricket Council, world's governing body for cricket and other cricket tournaments like Cricket World Cup. It also sponsors ICC Awards.[9]
During the period 2001-2003 the company sponsored the snooker Grand Prix. During these years the tournament was known as the LG Cup.
LG now also sponsors London Fashion Week and the LG Arena in Birmingham.[10]
In 2008 LG became sponsors of the Extreme Sport 'FSO4 Freeze' festival[11] and in January 2009 LG became a Global Partner and Technology Partner of Formula One.[12]
In addition to this LG is sponsor of Azerbaijan's most popular intellectual TV Show LG Knowledge Academy.
Awards/Accolades
In 2008, LG won 11 red dot design awards, 11 iF product design awards, and 13 Innovation Awards at CES, where the 50-inch PG6000 1080p Plasma HDTV was “Best of Video Display.”
In 2009 LG has won 15 Design & Technology honors at CES including the CES 'Best of Innovations' in the Wireless Communications Category for LG Dare(VX9700) and Home Appliances Category for Steam Laundry Pair:SteamWasher with Allergiene Cycle and SteamDryer(WM3001H).
Seven 2009 products have been awarded with iF product design awards and another 7 received red dot design awards.
Two LG washing machines have also achieved Asthma and Allergy Friendly Certification based on the Allergiene Steam cycle. The Asthma and Allergy Friendly Certification Program is a science based Certification mark that is awarded to products that are proven to be more suitable for those suffering from asthma and allergies. The Allergiene cycle of the LG washing machines has been proven to be capable of reaching thermal killing temperatures for the house dust mite, and also that any allergen present will be removed following washing.
Business divisions
Mobile communications
LG Electronics is the world's third largest handset maker.
Digital appliance
The home appliance division makes products like refrigerators, air conditioners and washing machines. Its 2007 sales totaled KRW 11.8 trillion, accounting for 29% of the company's total revenue. The division's profit was KRW 717.1 billion. About 35% of the company's home appliance revenue comes from the North American market.[13]
Digital display
Plasma TVs, LCD TVs, Micro Display Panel TVs, Monitors, PDP Modules, OLED Panels, USB Memory, Flat Panel Computer Monitors
Digital media
Home Theater Systems, Blu-ray Disc players, DVD Recorders, Super Multi DVD Rewriters, CD±RW, Notebook PCs, Desktop PCs, PDAs, PDA Phones, MP3 Players, New Karaoke Systems, Car Infotainment
LG mobile devices are made for GSM networks as well as for CDMA networks worldwide. LG phones are available also in unlocked versions that can be used on any GSM network worldwide and not just for a specific carrier's network.[14]
Criticism and controversies
ENERGY STAR controversies
In 2006, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission announced that five models of LG air conditioners posted misleading energy ratings, following complaints by the Australian Greenhouse Office. Tests concluded that the affected models had cooling outputs that were 90% lower than rated outputs; energy consumptions of some models were more than the rated power consumptions; and the energy efficiency ratings of the affected models were lower than that claimed by LG, and that of one model was lower than that required by the relevant Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS). As a result, LG offered $3.1 million rebates for the affected models.[15]
In 2008, U.S. Department of Energy announced the removal of ENERGY STAR labels from certain brands of LG refrigerators. The move also affected Kenmore TRIO models designed by and manufactured by LG Electronics.[16] The discrepancy was traced back to the ENERGY STAR testing procedure, that allowed manufacturers to test the refrigerators with their ice-makers turned off, which is not how they are normally used in the home.[citation needed] Furthermore, the DOE claimed LG did not set the refrigerators' temperature-controllable compartments to their coldest levels, a requirement for energy-usage measurements.[17]
BlueBirds
In 2009, LG released a DVD recorder (model GH22NS50) with a piece of adware named "BlueBirds.exe" loaded in its firmware; it would load as a virtual disk every time the tray was closed with no disc on it, until the user accepted to install it.[18] With a very negative reaction from buyers[19][20], LG quickly released a firmware update that removed the BlueBirds function.[21] However, it requires Microsoft Windows to be applied, which may be an issue for users of other systems.
Other
LG Electronics is also one of the largest providers of hotel televisions. These sets are equipped with Pro:Idiom DRM technology that allows for the hotel guest to enjoy HD programming in a hotel room.
See also
References
External links
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LG phones by series |
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| Europe GSM (GD/KC/KE/KF/KG/KM/KP/KS/KU) |
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| Latin America (MG/ME/PM) |
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| UMTS/WCDMA (U) |
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| Verizon CDMA Models (VX) |
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