South Korean tech giant LG Electronics Inc. said Tuesday that it plans to release its Optimus G Pro smartphone in Asian countries such as Taiwan, Singapore and Taiwan next month. Early this month, LG Electronics rolled out the latest version of the Optimus G smartphone line-up in the U.S. In March, LG, the world\'s third-largest smartphone maker, also released the full HD smartphone in Japan. In February, the South Korean smartphone maker debuted its 5.5-inch Optimus G Pro in its home country, joining the race of smartphones with bigger and brighter displays. 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,\" it said earlier. 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. 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.