Korean Smartphones in Numbers

Samsung (삼성전자) was the world's leading foldable phone brand in 2025, according to Counterpoint Research, which expects its share to ease to 32% in 2026 as more rivals enter.

Samsung shipped 19.1% of the world's 1.26 billion smartphones in 2025, second only to Apple's 247.8 million (19.7%), according to IDC's preliminary count.

Samsung's smartphone shipments grew 7.9% in 2025, ahead of Apple (6.3%), vivo (2.7%), Xiaomi (−1.9%) and OPPO (−2.7%), according to IDC.

Pre-orders in South Korea for the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Fold8 and Flip8 from July 28 to August 3, 2026 were the most for any Galaxy smartphone, according to Samsung.

Samsung's first foldable phone, the Galaxy Fold, went on sale in South Korea on September 6, 2019, and then in other countries including the U.S., U.K., France and Germany.

South Korea exported $3.97 billion of finished phones (up 18.6%) and $10.38 billion of phone parts in 2025. Most Galaxy phones are assembled abroad, so parts make up most of the total.