[Yonhap Photo]
Apple smartphones are gaining popularity among Chinese consumers as distrust on South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics has settled in due to exploding batteries of its latest flagship smartphone Note 7, a study showed.
A study by China's mobile internet consulting firm iiMedia Research showed 51.9 percent of 12,000 Chinese respondents promised not to buy Samsung smartphones while 37 percent chose Apple smartphones as replacements of Samsung's and 26.3 percent picked smartphones from Chinese tech giant Huawei.
Cases of exploding Note 7 batteries were reported last month. Samsung admitted that there was a major fault with batteries and pledged a global recall and the full exchange of smartphones sold worldwide.
Analysts say Samsung's turmoil may affect the company's share in the Chinese market. It has already dropped out of the list of top five smartphone makers in China in early 2006.
According to market research firm Strategic Analysis, Chinese companies – Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi -- topped the list of top five in the April-June period. Apple in the fifth place was the only foreign brand in the list.
A Strategic Analysis analyst predicted that Samsung's market share in China would drop to five percent from last year's seven percent. "Samsung needs to immediately patch up any problems regarding the Note 7s and must aim for the second leap with a new product.".
Aju News Park Sae-jin =swatchsjp@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
