Shortly after teasing its second Project Explorer device, the Rollable, at CES2021 news came to light that LG was considering getting out of the smartphone business. While the timing was a surprise, the actual consideration of selling was not because LG’s mobile division hasn’t turned a profit since 2013. With doubts over the LG Rollable’s likelihood of continued development, it seems that the electronic giant has, at the very least, placed the project on the backburner.
According to Yonhap News, LG has asked suppliers to pause development on the Rollable project, this includes display manufacturer BOE. It could be a temporary pause while LG decides upon the future of its smartphone business, or it could be the full termination of the Rollable project. For the moment, LG is keeping its cards close to its chest although it seems that it may have a buyer for the mobile division in the form of Vingroup, a Vietnamese conglomerate.
“According to a since-removed article by the Korean publication, The Elec, LG has allegedly sent out a notification to its employees that it was canning its smartphone division, along with the cessation of development on the rollable smartphone that is supposed to launch sometime this year.”
Despite teasing the Rollable phone during January with a view to launching it during the second half of 2021, it seems that it may never go on sale. If so, that’s sad news indeed.