[THE INVESTOR] US-based smartphone-maker Apple saw its presence in the global smartphone market shrink in recent months, according to a market report on June 22.

Apple’s operating profit in the first three months came in at $10.8 billion, accounting for 79.9 percent of the entire operating profits earned by the global smartphone makers, according to a report released by market research firm Strategy Analytics.

During the three months, the total operating income of the world’s smartphone companies stood at $13.6 billion.

In the fourth quarter last year, Apple reportedly took 90 percent of the total operating profits in the smartphone industry, posting $19.2 billion in operating income.

Some critics note that Apple’s influence has dwindled as budget Android smartphones garnered popularity in recent months.

Samsung earned $2.98 billion, or 21.9 percent of the total income of the global industry, in the first quarter this year, up from $1.79 billion, or 8.4 percent on-year.

The combined shares of Samsung and Apple account for more than 100 percent of the total profits since many other players posted operating loss or broke even.

“There are plenty of options for consumers to choose right now from high-end to entry-level products, and they boast excellent performance,” a market official said.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)