LG suspends talks with Apple about selling iPhones at its retail stores

Posted:
in General Discussion
LG recently suspended plans to sell Apple products like iPhone devices at its Korean retail outlets, according to a new report.

Credit: Andrew O'Hara, AppleInsider
Credit: Andrew O'Hara, AppleInsider


Back in June, the South Korean company was reportedly in negotiations with Apple on a retail partnership. Now, however, it appears to have temporarily ended those talks after some local backlash.

SME Daily reports that LG ended talks after controversy stirred among small- and medium-sized retailers, as well as among consumers. There is apparently a "growing concern" that LG's Best Shop would suspend employee training for Apple sales.

The South Korean government has also emphasized competition, suggesting that it's worried about large retail partnerships threatening the livelihood of smaller outlets in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, Samsung is said to be concerned about the potential cooperation between LG and Apple, which could threaten its leadership in its home market.

It isn't clear when -- or if -- negotiations between LG and Apple will resume.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member
    … but LG sold knockoff iPhones in their stores before. If this report is true it shows that knockoff Apple companies like Samsung really are afraid of Apple.

    Also Sammy is afraid it will hurt their market lead? The U.S. didn’t give a sh** when all these foreign companies sold knockoffs of an American invention. Maybe we should.

    Apple and LG should go forward with the deal.
    edited July 2021 Anilu_777KTRwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 8
    Anilu_777Anilu_777 Posts: 521member
    Poor Samsung having competition in South Korea. Boo boo hoo. It’s the government that’s anti-competition. Samsung sells way more than phones.  
    KTRwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 8
    KTRKTR Posts: 279member
    I guess they don’t  want apple to become to dominant ?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 8
    danoxdanox Posts: 2,799member
    Samsung called daddy Korea…..
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 8
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    I don’t believe the talks ever happened in the first place. AI is a rumor site after all.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 8
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,033member
    KTR said:
    I guess they don’t  want apple to become to dominant ?
    What are you talking about?

    In April, LG announced that they were exiting the smartphone business.

    https://www.lgnewsroom.com/2021/04/lg-to-close-mobile-phone-business-worldwide/

    Stocking iPhones in their retail stores isn't going to impact LG's smartphone sales. It would drive foot traffic into their bricks-and-mortar stores and at least they could make some profit selling iPhones at retail which is a bigger margin than what they were getting from their own mobile product line. This would also generate complementary sales of iPhone accessories. 

    With this sales arrangement dead in the water, it appears LG will make almost no mobile hardware revenue from their home retail stores.
    edited July 2021 byronl
  • Reply 7 of 8
    Beats said:
    …foreign companies sold knockoffs of an American invention…
    Either that statement is correct, or my understanding of the linear nature of time is correct.

    LG Prada.
    byronl
  • Reply 8 of 8
    chadbagchadbag Posts: 1,999member
    ankitpati said:
    Beats said:
    …foreign companies sold knockoffs of an American invention…
    Either that statement is correct, or my understanding of the linear nature of time is correct.

    LG Prada.
    Not sure how that is relevant to the discussion.  The person you quoted didn’t say that LG *only* sold knockoffs.   He only said that they sold knockoffs.   Having their own failed phone doesn’t negate the fact that they built their business on Android “iPhone knockoff” devices.  

     I don’t know how many Prada they sold all together but your linked article said a million in 18 months.  And I don’t give a lot of credence to the CEO claim that Steve Jobs “stole” the idea for the iPhone from the Prada as the development cycle is too long for the given timeframe. 
    edited July 2021 watto_cobra
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