LG Electronics Inc. will this week unveil a smart TV at a global electronic goods fair in Germany, to join the television industry's rush to introduce online applications to the living room.

The world's second-largest TV maker said the new TV was its first Web-connected television, based on its own platform called NetCast. The smart TV will be showcased at the IFA trade show in Berlin, which is being held Sept. 3-8.

LG Electronics' announcement comes as Japan's Sony was also expected to reveal its new Google TV at the show.

Sony had said in May that it would join hands with Google and Intel to provide smart TVs built on Google's open platform.

Another top competitor, Samsung Electronics Co., said it will also display its version of smart TVs in Berlin. Samsung is currently the world's top TV manufacturer.

Smart TVs refer to televisions connected to the Internet. Users can instantly find and watch television shows and movies, whilst also downloading Internet applications and surfing Web sites.

Experts say the global smart TV market will reach 41 million units this year to make up almost 20 percent of the entire TV market.

By 2013, they expect the market to reach 98 million units, which would be almost 40 percent of the TV industry.

Amid the competition, LG Electronics' strategy, will be to introduce a user-friendly interface, along with a remote control capable of tracing hand movements.

The LG smart TVs also offer video-on-demand services, a TV application store and video streaming services.

LG said it plans to establish more than 120 partnerships by early next year with global media and content providers, in order to build the list of popular content for different regions.