Samsung Overtakes Apple in Smartphone Brand Loyalty

Samsung users have overtaken Apple users in terms of brand loyalty in South Korea, reports a research organisation affiliated with Korea Telecom.

According to the survey, just over half (53%) of the survey respondents using an iPhone said they would look to a different brand when replacing their handset.

For users of Samsung's Galaxy S smartphone range, the level of dissatisfaction was just 35 percent.

"It should not be misjudged, however, that the market share in the domestic market for the iPhone will likely shrink and that of Samsung will increase," the research institute's report claimed, as cited by the Korea Herald newspaper.

About a quarter of the survey respondents said that handset design is the most important factor in choosing a smartphone, followed by brand (20%) and type of operating system (19.5%).

The survey involved 3,763 smartphone users aged 13 to 69.

On the web: Korea Herald