LG's Optimus G Pro sales top 1m in Korea

South Korean tech giant LG Electronics Inc. said Tuesday that sales of its Optimus G Pro smartphone have exceeded the 1-million mark nationwide. The latest version of the 5.5-inch Optimus G smartphone line-up hit the shelves in the country in February this year. Sales of the Optimus G Pro broke the 500,000-mark in the first 40 days following its launch, becoming LG Electronics' fastest-selling smartphone. In May, LG Electronics rolled out the smartphone in the U.S. LG, the world's third-largest smartphone maker, also released the full HD smartphone in Japan. The Optimus G Pro features an IPS display that consumes 50 percent less energy and is twice as bright as AMOLED screens of the same size. The Optimus G Pro runs on Qualcomm Inc.'s 1.7 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor, an improved version of the Snapdragon S4 Pro processor in the Optimus G. The follow-up model also comes with a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 2.1-megapixel front camera that can be used simultaneously for "dual recording."  LG Electronics ranked third in the world in terms of smartphone shipments for the first time on the back of strong demand for its flagship smartphone Optimus G line-up, according to data compiled by research firm Strategic Analysis Inc. LG Electronics sold a total of 10.3 million smartphones in the first quarter, doubling from 4.9 million units sold a year earlier, with its market share standing at 4.9 percent, the data showed.