LG jumps ahead of the trade show pack, announces new tablet

LG will show off a new tablet at the IFA trade show in Berlin in early September.

LG, the Korea-based conglomerate that makes everything from refrigerators to smartphones, on Monday announced the new G Pad II 10.1. The Android-based tablet will boast a 10.1-inch screen, a 2.26GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera to complement its 2-megapixel front-facing lens. The tablet will run on Android 5.1.1. (Lollipop). LG said it will reveal full details on the tablet at IFA Berlin starting on September 4.

LG's decision to announce the G Pad II 10.1 ahead of IFA reflects the significant amount of competition companies face at the trade show. IFA is one of the world's biggest consumer electronics and home appliances trade shows. Many of the tech world's elite will be in attendance, including fellow Korea-based company Samsung, China-based Huawei and countless others. Nearly all companies are expected to announce new products at the event, and trying to get attention among the deluge can be difficult.

Still, trying to get attention in the broader tablet market may prove difficult for LG or any other company trying its luck in the sluggish tablet market. So far this year, tablet makers -- including market leader Apple -- have failed to appeal to consumers. In March, research firm IDC cut its tablet market forecast, saying that the worldwide tablet market would ship 234.5 million units by the end of 2015. That's up only 2.1 percent compared to 2014. In 2013, year-over-year growth in tablets was at 52.5 percent.

Apple's iPad business is proving to be a pain point for the space. Apple's tablet sales are down significantly, tumbling 23 percent year over year in the company's last-reported quarter, alone. Tablet's running Google's Android mobile software are similarly facing trouble. According to analysts, tablets are facing pressure on both sides as consumers opt for big smartphones rather than slates, and have shown increased interest in thin, lightweight laptops that contend with tablets.

Despite the troubles, devices makers are forging ahead with new devices. LG's G Pad II 10.1, which includes a metallic finish and a Reader Mode that reduces blue light to help with eye fatigue, addresses all of the needs consumers have, Chris Yie, LG's vice president for LG Mobile, said in a statement on Monday.

"Customers asked for a large display, bigger battery and faster performance all without raising the price," said Yie. "The G Pad II delivers on all counts."

LG said it will announce pricing and availability at IFA. When it does, the company may find itself caught up in another whirlwind: Apple is rumored to be hosting its own event in early September that could see the company announce new iPads.

LG did not immediately respond to a request for comment.