Samsung tops global smartphone market in Q3 despite shipment decline

Samsung Electronics Co. retained its position as the world's largest smartphone vendor in the third quarter, supported by steady sales of its entry-level and midrange Galaxy A series, despite a sharp contraction in the overall market, industry data showed Monday. The Korean tech giant shipped 57.8 million smartphones in the July-September period, down 5 percent from a year earlier, accounting for 22.7 percent of global shipments, according to data compiled by industry tracker Omdia. Samsung's performance was relatively resilient compared with a 20 percent plunge in global smartphone shipments over the same period. Omdia attributed Samsung's performance to solid sales of its Galaxy A series, saying the company responded to market demand with a diversified product lineup. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 series, launched in August, also helped strengthen Samsung's position in the premium segment. Apple Inc. ranked second, shipping 56.5 million smartphones, unchanged from a year earlier, with a market share of around 22.2 percent.