[THE INVESTOR] Korean tech giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are both expected to release their new flagship smartphones on Sept. 15 in an attempt to counter US tech behemoth Apple, whose new iPhones are anticipated to come out in the same week, according to industry sources on Aug. 14.

Samsung will unveil the Galaxy Note 8 in New York on Aug. 23, while LG will do the same for its V30 at the IFA electronics trade show in Germany on Aug. 31. Both are expected to officially launch their phones around Sept. 15. 

“Samsung is doing an Unpacked event a week earlier than usual, while LG is in talks with telecom companies for a Sept. 15 launch,” said an industry source on the condition of anonymity.

Apple, on the other hand, is expected to reveal two new phones -- LCD-based iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus -- around Sept. 5 or 6, with the launch customarily being a week after. Apple’s first OLED display phone, the iPhone 8, is forecast to be launched in November.

After its smartphone business saw profits drop for the past several years, LG is determined to get back on track, willing to meet Samsung and Apple face on, instead of avoiding competition, the source added.

Apple usually took home the crown as the most-sold premium smartphone during the year-end holiday season, but things could be different this time due to fierce competition in the high-end smartphone segment, a market watcher forecast.

“The launch of Samsung and LG phones could affect the sales of Apple since consumers will have more options to consider,” said another market watcher who wished to be unnamed.

For Samsung, the Note 8, a larger-screen smartphones that comes with a stylus pen, has traditionally served as a bulwark to defend its market share in the premium segment from the US firm. The phone will also be the test for the Korean smartphone maker to see if it has completely overcome the Note 7 fiasco caused by fire-prone batteries.

“Samsung has deployed the most advanced technology in the Note series so far,” Werner Goert, an analyst from Gartner, said in a recent interview with the local media, adding the fully-blown artificial assistant Bixby will likely be one of the appealing factors of the upcoming smartphone.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)