LG’s Apple Watch Competitor Reportedly Arriving Next Month

If a new report is to be believed, LG Electronics could be releasing a new smartwatch this coming June.

Yonhap reported Wednesday, citing industry watchers, that Samsung’s neighboring rival has a new wearable device. LG is said to be planning to launch the successor to last year’s LG Watch Style in its home country in June.

Once the device has made its way to the South Korean market, LG will reportedly introduce it to other key markets including the United States. The specific South Korean release date and the timeline for the smartwatch’s U.S. debut weren’t disclosed however.

According to industry watchers, LG’s new competitor for the Apple Watch will run Wear OS by Google — formerly called Android Wear. It is also said to feature a 1.2-inch round display. It’s very likely to sport the same P-OLED screen as last year’s model.

Last year’s LG Watch Style was a bit underwhelming. Many tech sites including Engadget complained that its design wasn’t stylish and it had terrible battery life. Nevertheless, it impressed some consumers with its faster and easier to use Android Wear 2.0 OS, rotating dial, Handy Play Store integration and water-resistant body.

LG’s upcoming device is going to be its eighth wearable offering, but it’s still undeniable how the company is struggling to strengthen its presence in the smartwatch market, which is predicted to grow exponentially in 2022.

Aside from its smartwatch business, LG’s smartphone business is also struggling. In fact, the latter has been posting losses for several months now. However, LG is still determined to improve its phone business.

Just last week, LG took the wraps off of its newest flagship phone, the G7 ThinQ. The handset features improved audio, battery, camera, display technologies and artificial intelligence features, so the company is hoping for the G7 ThinQ to help turn around its mobile communication business.

Nevertheless, it’s a bit hard for LG to quickly realize its goals of improving its smartphone and smartwatch businesses given the tight market competition at present. One of its biggest rivals is its crosstown neighbor Samsung Electronics, which recently launched the Galaxy S9 series and is rumored to show off a new smartwatch in the second half of this year.