"I Swore I'd Only Use iPhones"...Why Samsung Phones Are Back in the Top 3 After Five Years

Samsung Electronics Re-Enters Japan’s Top 3 for the First Time in 5 Years
Enhanced AI Features Shake Up Japan’s Conservative Consumer Base

Meaningful changes are being detected in the Japanese mobile phone market, often called the "home turf" of the Apple iPhone. Samsung Electronics, which had long struggled to gain a strong presence there, has climbed back into the top three for the first time in five years in both total handset shipments and smartphone shipments, signaling a rebound. Analysts say that its premium strategy centered on artificial intelligence (AI) features has successfully captured the interest of Japanese consumers.

Actress Park Eunbin uses a Samsung Electronics Galaxy smartphone. The photo is not directly related to the article content. Park Eunbin Instagram

First simultaneous Top 3 in five years...Signal of a market comeback

According to Japanese ICT market research firm MM Research Institute (MMRI) on the 21st (local time), Samsung Electronics ranked third last year in the Japanese market both in total mobile phone shipments, including feature phones, and in smartphone shipments.

By brand, Apple maintained the top spot in both categories, followed by Google in second place. However, MMRI did not disclose specific shipment volume figures.

This is the first time since 2020 that Samsung Electronics has placed in the top three in both indicators at the same time. Back then, it also ranked third in each category, but the following year it rose to second place only in smartphones, while its position in total shipments fell as it lost ground to competitors. As its market share continued to decline, it slipped to fifth place in total shipments in 2022, and in both 2023 and 2024 it remained in fourth place in both categories.

How 'AI smartphones' reshaped the landscape

Japanese actress Adachi Rika using a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7. Samsung Electronics Japan official YouTube channel

The rebound is widely attributed to Samsung's strategy of strengthening AI features. As interest has grown among Japanese consumers in generative AI-based translation and photo editing, the Galaxy series, which puts these functions front and center, has attracted increased attention.

Market observers also believe that the relatively slow pace of AI transition among Japanese domestic brands played a role. At a time when expectations for technological innovation have been rising, Samsung Electronics moved to target the market with clearly differentiated features, a strategy that is being assessed as effective.

The Japanese mobile phone market has been on a recovery trend since the beginning of this year. According to MMRI, total mobile phone shipments in Japan in the first half of fiscal 2025 (April to September) reached 14.2 million units, up 7.2% from the same period a year earlier. Of this total, smartphone shipments rose 8.3% to 13.857 million units, while feature phone shipments fell 25.3% to 343,000 units.

By manufacturer, Apple retained first place with a 43.7% share of smartphone shipments in the first half of fiscal 2025. It has now held the top spot for 14 consecutive first-half periods. Even so, Samsung Electronics' recovery in the rankings is noteworthy. The Japanese market is known for its high brand loyalty and strong conservatism toward foreign manufacturers. For this reason, its rebound there is being interpreted not merely as a product hit, but as a sign that brand trust is being restored.