Samsung Electronics has risen to the second spot worldwide in smartphone sales, according to industry analysts, even though the company did not disclose detailed shipment figures for its mobile devices.
In its second-quarter financial results, Samsung reported an 18% decline in net profit to $3.3 billion, largely due to weaker performance in its panel TV display business. However, the company’s mobile division showed strong growth that helped offset the downturn in other areas.
Samsung said operating profit in its telecommunications division more than doubled compared with the same quarter last year, with mobile phones accounting for the majority of that gain. The smartphone segment in particular experienced significant growth, with revenue rising 45% year on year to $11.8 billion.
After Samsung released its Q2 results without detailed mobile shipment numbers, market research firm Strategy Analytics estimated Samsung shipped 74 million phones during the quarter, up from 63.8 million in the same period last year. That shipment estimate would place Samsung just behind the market leader, Nokia, which was estimated to have shipped 88.5 million devices in the quarter.
Strategy Analytics also estimated Samsung shipped 19.2 million smartphones in the quarter—slightly below Apple’s estimated 20.3 million smartphones but ahead of Nokia’s 16.7 million. These estimates underline Samsung’s growing presence in the smartphone market and its ability to compete closely with major rivals.
Samsung attributed its smartphone gains to stronger product lineups in the mid- and high-end segments, which drove solid performance in developed markets. The company expects handset demand to rise in the third quarter by a high single-digit percentage and anticipates demand will strengthen further toward the end of the year.
Overall, analysts view Samsung’s mobile performance as a key factor in the company’s ability to weather challenges in other divisions. Continued focus on premium and mid-range smartphones, combined with improving market conditions, positions Samsung to maintain its competitive standing in the global handset market.