Samsung continues to lead smartphone market in home turf amid Apple’s increasing popularity

Samsung shipped 24 million units of its smartphones during Q4 2017 in South Korea.

In the global smartphone market, Samsung comes second after Apple (REUTERS)

Samsung smartphones continue to dominate its home turf, South Korea according to the latest report by Strategy Analytics. The South Korean giant shipped 24 million units of its smartphones in th local market in the fourth quarter of 2017, reports Yonhap news agency.

The figure accounts for 46% of combined shipments that is 9% points down from the same period a year earlier, the report said.

This dominance comes amid Apple expanding its presence in enemy territory with its iPhones.

During the same quarter, Apple sold 15 million units of its iPhones with its market share reaching a record high 28.3%.

The figure for the iPhone is 3.3% points up from the same period a year earlier, Strategy Analytics said.

Samsung has been moving to maintain its market share through budget models.

However, in the global market, Apple shipped 77.3 million smartphones during the said quarter. This led to Apple occupying more than half of the global smartphone shipments.

Apple captured first place with 19.3% global market share, nudging Samsung into second place, Strategy Analytics said.

Overall, both Apple and Samsung's smartphone wholesale average selling price (ASP) grew strongly, rising 21% annually to $254 in the quarter.

"The smartphone industry's wholesale average selling price surged 18% annually from $255 in fourth quarter of 2016 to $300 in fourth quarter of 2017," Linda Sui, Director at Strategy Analytics, said in a statement late on Thursday.

The industry tracker said there was robust demand for Apple iPhone X, though global iPhone volumes have been on the decline on an annual basis for five of the past eight quarters.