LG might sell iPhones in its stores after quitting Android devices

Now that LG has quit the Android phone business, it’s apparently ready to fill that void by courting one of its frequent rivals. According to MacRumors, the Herald Economic Daily claims LG has struck a deal with Apple to sell the iPhone and iPad in 400 stores across South Korea starting in August.

LG may have to overcome some hurdles to make this happen. The company reportedly signed a “win-win” agreement with the country’s National Mobile Communication Distribution Association that bars it from selling a direct competitor’s phones in its stores. That deal was made in 2018, however, or well before LG signalled that it would quit making phones and tablets. LG is supposedly planning to renegotiate the agreement once it officially sells the iPhone and iPad in its shops.

We’ve asked LG for comment. The deal unsurprisingly wouldn’t include Macs, as systems like the MacBook Air compete directly with the Gram series and other LG computers where the iPhone and iPad are relatively safe.

If the report is accurate, it wouldn’t be a completely shocking move. LG would effectively leave money on the table if it stopped selling mobile devices altogether. This gives it a complete solution to sell, even if the integration might not be as tight as before. And yes, this might help LG undermine its archrival Samsung — every iPhone or iPad sold robs Samsung of a potential Galaxy customer.

All the same, we wouldn’t blame you for feeling sad. LG was once one of largest phone makers on the planet, and is well-known for its sometimes bitter fights with Apple — this author remembers LG blasting the iPad when introducing its first Android tablet. Now, LG could be ‘reduced’ to selling the iPhone after years of poor sales and business missteps.