The South Korean firm isn’t going to bat an eyelid at Apple’s massive figures released earlier this week because Samsung already makes mobile processors that power Apple’s iPhone and iPad anyway.

Apple is Samsung’s biggest client – buying mainly chips and displays, and the two firms are locked in a patent battle in at least 10 countries around the world.

Baik Jae-yer, fund manager at Korea Investment Management:

The battle of the two big smartphone powers, Apple versus Samsung, will go on. The smartphone market will expand this year to more mid-and low-end models that are affordable to the wider public.

Rather than focus on market share, I’d point out the strong contribution of Samsung’s handset business to earnings growth and margins.

So, after posting this record quarterly profit of $4,7 billion, Samsung will also increase spending this year too, by nine per cent, taking its spend to a number greater than the GDP of leading cocoa producer, Ivory Coast.

Kim Young-chan, analyst at Shinhan Investment and Securities:

Apple had good sales, but it’s very unlikely this will be a trend that will overwhelm Samsung later. It’s unlikely Samsung and Apple will fight over each other’s market share, but they will eat up the market share of smaller companies like HTC and RIM.

Speaking the truth, Lee Yong-jik, fund manager at PineBridge Investment, said:

Samsung is playing catch-up with Apple in smartphone sales volume, but it’s tougher to catch up in terms of margins.

Samsung has forecast that its strong momentum in mobile sales would increase this year, though it could come under renewed consumer pressure if and when Apple brings out next-generation iPads and iPhones. Which will happen quite soon.

[Source: Reuters]