Business | Telecoms
Samsung aims to double market share
Samsung Gulf Electronics aims to double its market share in the mobile phone sector from the current 17 per cent by launching new models with value-added features, said a top official.
- By Naushad K. Cherrayil, Senior Sub-Editor
- Published: 23:43 August 26, 2008
- Image Credit:
Dubai: Samsung Gulf Electronics aims to double its market share in the mobile phone sector from the current 17 per cent by launching new models with value-added features, said a top official.
"As the No 2 player in the market, emerging markets like the Middle East continue to drive growth, especially in Saudi Arabia and the UAE," said Sandeep Saihgal, general manager of hand held phones division at Samsung Gulf Electronics.
The South Korean vendor has sold 46.3 million handsets in the quarter, 22 per cent higher than the same period in the previous year due to strong demand in emerging markets. Global unit sales for the first half reached 92 million, an increase of more than 20 per cent year-on-year growth.
The company has so far launched 18 models and expects to launch another five models by 2009.
The company yesterday unveiled world's first eight-megapixel camera phone - the Innov8.
"Samsung Innov8 is made for tech-savvy users who enjoy the best possible multimedia entertainment with their mobile phone, with pre-embedded 3D games, high speed data connections and much more other features, the consumer can enjoy the true benefits of mobile entertainment. I expect the new Samsung Innov8 to be a revolutionary milestone for opening a new era of mobile multimedia," Saihgal said.
"Samsung has some of the greatest expectations for growth in Saudi Arabia. The kingdom's telecom regulator estimates the number of mobile users to have risen from just 2.5 million five years ago to 20 million today. In the coming five years mobile penetration rates in the kingdom are expected to catch up with the UAE and Qatar and rise to well over 100 per cent," he said.
Important market
Saihgal said Saudi Arabia is currently one of our most important markets for smart phones because of its excellent growth potential and will be significantly affected by the sustained development of the industry's ICT sector, which accounts for 40 per cent of an estimated Dh18 billion Gulf market. The liberalisation of the Saudi telecom sector is also expected to boost demand for IT-intensive phones.
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