Nokia rebuffs Samsung claim

       Nokia has shrugged off claims by Samsung that it is destined to overtake Nokia's long-established leadership in the local mobile handset market this year.
       The South Korean manufacturer said recently that it now held 30.5% of the Bangkok market, against 28.7% for the Finnish company, based on a survey by the market research firm GFK. Nationally,Samsung had a 27.5% share compared with 33% for Nokia.
       Samsung expressed confidence that it would overtake Nokia nationwide this year with a 35% share.
       "The claimed figure is impossible based on the fact of our handset import volume to Thailand," said Shumit Kapoor, general manager of Nokia Thailand.
       He said GFK stopped gathering data about mobile phone sales in Thailand in June because the proliferation of Chinese branded handsets in markets outside Bangkok made it harder to get accurate figures.
       "We're on an increasing trend in business with a strong market share, and confident of maintaining our leadership this year," Mr Kapoor said.
       Performance has been helped by a recent restructuring of its distribution network, he added."We expect to continue the upward trend next year."
       Mr Kapoor said overall handset demand in Thailand was expected to grow only 1-2% this year from last year's 9 million units. But market value would be flat as prices are falling.
       Worldwide handset sales declined 6%in the second quarter, according to Gartner. But smartphones sales grew 27%year-on-year to 40 million units.
       Mr Kapoor said he expected next year would be better locally, building on the improvement seen in the third quarter as the economy began to revive.
       He also said the touchscreen-phone market in Thailand had grown rapidly this year, thanks to more affordable prices and mature quality.
       Touchscreen-phone sales in Thailand have surged by 400-500% this year, and the increase is set to continue in 2010.
       Nokia hopes to capitalise on that demand with its N97 Mini, a spinoff of its flagship high-end N97 smartphone. The mobile computer phone, featuring a touchscreen and keypad board, is priced at 21,100 baht to reach more consumers.
       It has a 5-megapixel camera,8 GB of onboard memory plus 16 GB expansion via a micro-SD card slot. It also has new personal and location-aware internet features and access to Nokia's Ovi platform and online social networks.