Samsung to Snap Up 20% Share of Taiwan's Handsets Market by End of 2008

Taipei, Nov. 5, 2008 (CENS)--After posting an 18.9% share of the Taiwan market for mobile phones in September, Korea's Samsung, a globally leading vendor of consumer electronics, is aggressively to push up the figure to 20% by the end of this year, according to the brand.

To achieve a full product category covering low, medium and high ends of the line, Samsung Taiwan recently unveiled its newest slide smartphone L878 series, which features slim, metallic exterior design and lightweight, and adopts Symbian S60 operating system. In fact, the brand's metallic series mobile phones have gained popularity in Taiwan this year.

According to industry sources, annual sales of mobile phones in Taiwan are estimated at about 7 million units this year, down 5% from the corresponding figure for last year, due mainly to global economic recession weakening consumer spending in the market. The sales recession is expected to last into the second half of next year.

Taiwan Samsung indicated that sales in the segment for high-end handsets seem impervious to the recent economic depression, with models built with finger-touch panels as the hottest sellers in Taiwan. However, medium-end handset sales in the market have been apparently waning.

Hence, Samsung has moved to adjust unit prices of its mobile phones this year, and is planning to launch more medium-end phones next year to seize the chance to further drive up its market shares in Taiwan, according to the brand.