Samsung Electronics maintained its leading position in the Southeast Asian smartphone market, although its market share declined.
According to market research firm IDC, Samsung Electronics sold 5.5 million smartphones in the Southeast Asian market, including Thailand, Myanmar, and Singapore in the first quarter of this year, ranking No. 1 in sales terms among major smartphone makers.
Its Southeast Asian smartphone sales rose 28 percent compared to a year ago (4.3 million units). Despite the increase in sales volume, Samsung Electronics’ market share fell by about 7 percentage points to 23 percent from 29.8 percent a year before.
IDC said that Samsung’s market share in Southeast Asian smartphone market declined due to the growth of the market itself and stiffer competition with other low-price smartphone makers, adding that major smartphone makers such as Samsung and Apple would face stronger challenge in this region from Chinese smartphone makers armed with low-price models.
