Samsung Electronics Co. sold more than 300,000 units of smartphones running on long-term evolution networks, the high-speed wireless data service, in about one month of their debut, according to industry data released Friday.
Since sales began on Oct. 27, Samsung’s Galaxy S2 LTE smartphone accounted for around half of South Korea’s burgeoning LTE phone market that is estimated at 600,000 units, according to data from South Korea’s three mobile operators. The data was gathered up until Nov. 22.
Two out of three South Korean mobile operators began offering the high-speed networks for wireless data service in July, introducing a string of new smartphone models that can transmit wireless data on the fourth-generation networks.
LG Electronics Inc., the beleaguered world’s third-largest handset maker, vowed to make a comeback with LTE smartphones and sold more than 200,000 units of its Optimus LTE, accounting for 33 percent of the market.
South Korea’s third-largest handset maker Pantech Co. and HTC Corp. sold a combined 150,000 units of LTE smartphones, according to mobile carriers.
South Korea’s wireless market is estimated at more than 50 million users and the majority use handsets compatible with the third-generation wireless service. The number of the country’s smartphone users reached 20 million as of the end of October. (Yonhap News)