Samsung impressed once again with its near-monopoly performance in the Q3 2025 South Korea smartphone market. The company seized an almost-entire portion of shipments, which Apple wasn’t able to face with its slice.

According to Counterpoint Research (via Chosun), Samsung surpassed an 80% market share in South Korea for the 2nd time in a row.

The report reveals that the Korean tech giant flagged an impressive 81 percent share in the third quarter. The company’s market share has increased from 80 percent in the same quarter of the previous year.

While Samsung improved its tally YoY, it faced a 3 percent decline over the second quarter. During the April-June period, the company’s shipments were 84 percent, while the July-September period slipped to 81 percent.

On the other hand, Apple’s market share in the same period was 18 percent. The iPhone maker reported a decline of 1 percent YoY; however, it grew 2 percent QoQ.

Decisive factors

Samsung maintained its growth momentum driven by the success of the Galaxy Fold 7 and sustained demand for mid-to-low-end models like the Galaxy A36, which was released in the second quarter of this year.

Apple’s sales increased due to upgrades in the iPhone 17 series. Counterpoint analysts predict that the gap between Apple and Samsung will narrow in the fourth quarter, reflecting iPhone 17 sales released this September.

Apart from this, the report highlights Xiaomi’s efforts in South Korea. The Chinese vendor opened official stores at Guui Station and Magoknaru Station in September, but is still struggling to establish a presence in the market.

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