After Exiting Smartphone Market, LG May Start Selling iPhones in Its ‘LG Best Shops’ in Korea

LG Best Shops in South Korea might start carrying iPhones.

LG recently announced its exit from the smartphone market after years of struggling to turn a profit. Now, the company is reportedly in talks with Apple to sell iPhones and other Apple products through its LG Best Shops in South Korea.

LG has an extensive network of retail stores in South Korea, its home market. Apart from smartphones, LG Best Shops also sell various other LG electronic appliances and laptops.

According to Business Korea, the two companies are reportedly discussing the establishment of separate Apple corners within the shops that are directly run by Apple employees or allowing LG Best Shop employees to sell Apple products after LG Electronics acquires the right to the sale of Apple products.

The two sides have yet to decide when the partnership starts, but some market experts predict that it will be some time after the end of July when LG Electronics completes its pull out of the smartphone business.

It doesn’t sound like Macs will be sold at the stores, however. LG sells its own Windows PCs and presumably isn’t keen on the potential cannibalization of sales that products like the new M1 iMac and MacBook Air could cause.

Samsung dominates the South Korean smartphone market with nearly 65 percent market share. Apple comes in second with a 25% market share. The company could close the gap to Samsung if it can expand its retail presence in South Korea and sell its products through LG Best Shops.