Galaxy S25 Series and Z Fold 7 Crush Competition in Korea

Samsung has strengthened its position in its home market, South Korea, leaving competitors struggling to keep pace. Thanks to the Galaxy S25 series and the newly launched Galaxy Z Fold 7, the gap between Samsung and Apple has widened greatly. The Korean firm captured 82% of the smartphone market between January and July 2025, while the Cupertino giant secured just 18%.

Samsung continues to dominate the Korean smartphone market

According to data from Counterpoint Research, Samsung held 82% of domestic smartphone sales from January to July 2025. This is 4% increase compared to the same period last year, thanks to the company’s dominance in its home market. More importantly, it surpassed the 80% mark for the first time, making the competition even tougher.

Meanwhile, the company’s arch-rival Apple continues to struggle to gain a foothold in the Korean market. While Apple has a solid global presence, its iPhones face stiff competition from Samsung’s Galaxy smartphone lineup in the region. The research firm expects that after the launch of the new iPhone 17 series, Apple could regain ground in the second half of the year.

Samsung saw recent growth largely because of strong demand for the Galaxy S25 series and Galaxy Z Fold 7. The Galaxy S25 series features Qualcomm’s powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, a major performance upgrade compared to its predecessor. The Ultra model sports a 200MP camera for pro-grade photography. Moreover, its enhanced AI features, such as AI Eraser and AI image generation, make the flagship S lineup stand out in the market.

The company recently announced that total domestic unit sales of the Galaxy S25 series have reached a 3 million milestone, faster than the S24 series. The company credited this achievement to its New Galaxy AI Subscription Club plan, which guarantees a 50% buy-back after one year.

Speaking of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, it comes with an incredibly slimmer and lighter profile, making the device attractive. The phone features the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and an advanced 200MP camera. It also boasts solid build quality with the most durable hinge to date. These major leaps in foldable innovation have attracted many consumers.