Samsung Electronics aims to treble smartphone shipments this year and by doing so, overtake HTC as the world’s fourth largest smartphone vendor, said the firm’s mobile division boss.
"Samsung plans to sell 18 million smartphones this year, up from 6 million last year," Shin Jong-kyun told the Korea Times.
If the target is reached, Samsung could emerge with an 8% share of the smartphone market in 2010, up from just 3% this year, putting it behind only Nokia, RIM and Apple, based on forecasts from Strategy Analytics.
Key to Samsung’s smartphone strategy will be devices powered by its own OS, called Bada. The first Bada-enabled smartphones are due to be unveiled in March.
At the same time, Samsung is increasing its line-up of Android-driven handsets, a move that deals a blow to Microsoft’s Windows Mobile OS.
It plans to unveil its first Android OS devices later this month or early March, said Shin.
“There'll be a big change in our smartphone strategy this year," Shin told the SCMP.
"We plan to strengthen our smartphone business this year by not just improving hardware offerings but also beefing up content, applications [and] services."
Samsung’s more aggressive smartphone stance will add to the sector’s pricing woes.
Smartphone price wars will inevitably drive down vendor’s margins this year.