LG announced today that it hopes to grow its handset sales by 20 percent in 2010. Its goal is to sell 140 million mobile phones, up from 117 million in 2009.
LG will offer devices powered by Google Android, Windows Mobile and LiMo’s Linux-based operating systems. More than half of the 20 smartphones it plans to release will use Android. Despite an alliance signed with Microsoft last year, LG is distancing itself from Windows Mobile. According to Skott Ahn, LG’s president and CEO of mobile communications:
“Windows Mobile still has legacy issues that makes it challenging to compete in mobiles: we know it and Microsoft knows it.”
LG is only the latest company to embrace Android primarily at the expense of Windows Mobile. For example, both HTC and Motorola are steadily increasing the number of Android devices in their portfolios.