In the early 2010s, electronics manufacturers turned their attention to the watch segment. Unlike traditional mechanical watches or primitive electronic timepieces, smartwatches could now be built as fully functional devices with a wide range of features, powered by energy-efficient processors. This marked the beginning of an intense race between manufacturers.
Market research at the time outlined two clear paths to dominance: be among the first to enter the market, or create a device that would become a true status symbol. It was this thinking that led LG to invest heavily in the development of electronic watches.
By 2014, display manufacturers had completed the development of small-format screens suitable for wrist-worn devices and began mass production. At the time, the smartwatch market was widely believed to be large and highly profitable, attracting significant interest from major electronics companies.
LG Began Production of Its First Watches
LG entered the smartwatch market in 2014 with the release of its first model, the LG G Watch. This was followed shortly by several additional models:
LG G Watch R (October 2014) — LG’s first round smartwatch, featuring a P-OLED display
LG Watch Urbane (2015) — a model with a more premium design and materials
LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE (2015) — an LTE-enabled smartwatch
Due to a rushed development process, the LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE was released with serious hardware defects. This resulted in widespread device failures and a rapid withdrawal of the model from the market. Unsold units, along with components that could not be reused in other products, had to be disposed of.
The failure of LG smartwatches
Despite a relatively strong start, stable sales in the early stages, and a leading position among major manufacturers entering the smartwatch market, LG ultimately failed to gain a foothold in this segment.
One of the main reasons was limited consumer demand. Smartphones already covered most everyday needs, so for many users, smartwatches seemed unnecessary. At the same time, the rapid growth in popularity of fitness trackers largely negated the practical advantages of smartwatches. Unlike the Apple Watch, which appeared later but offered a more sophisticated ecosystem, LG’s smartwatches never became a cultural or fashion icon.
The failure of the LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE further alienated LG’s small but loyal user base. After analyzing sales results for 2014–2015 and recognizing that it would be difficult to capture a significant market share, LG gradually stopped funding its smartwatch division.
This departure happened quietly, without any official announcements. LG simply stopped releasing new models and gradually removed references to its smartwatches from its official websites. Today, LG’s smartwatch lineup remains only a chapter in the company’s history.
