Despite solid sales, Apple still can’t catch Samsung on its home turf

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It wouldn't surprise anyone that Samsung remains the dominant smartphone maker in its home country of South Korea. It's one of the country's most lucrative conglomerates and enjoys true brand loyalty among the people.



Yet, Apple has been gaining ground in South Korea, something even Samsung chairman Jay Y. Lee has noticed. However, it still has a long way to go before it can even come close to Samsung's market share. This fact has been reiterated by the latest figures for smartphone sales in Q3 2025.



iPhone 17 puts Apple in a good position for Q4 2025



The latest data from Counterpoint Research shows that Samsung accounted for 81% of the domestic smartphone market in Q3 2025, up 1% from the same period last year but down 3% from Q2 2025. Apple's market share during Q3 2025 came in at 18%, down 1% from the same quarter last year and up 2% from Q2 2025.



Samsung saw sustained momentum due to the stellar performance of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 in the country. Its mid-range devices, like the Galaxy A36, also performed very well. This enabled Samsung to retain its grip on the market.



Since Apple's new flagships tend to arrive later in the year compared to Samsung's, it normally sees an uptick in sales in Q4 every year. iPhone sales took a 39% market share in Q4 2024 while Samsung came in at 60%. Samsung doesn't really have any new launches at the tail end of the year and customers typically hold off for its new Galaxy S lineup that arrives in Q1 of the following year.



We'll likely see a similar trend when numbers for Q4 2025 are released. Apple is expected to post a higher market share given that the iPhone 17 has done well in South Korea. It remains to be seen if the Galaxy Z TriFold's launch there will move the needle in any meaningful way.


The post Despite solid sales, Apple still can’t catch Samsung on its home turf appeared first on SamMobile.



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