Samsung has successfully broken through in Japan's notoriously difficult smartphone market, achieving a double-digit market share in 2025.
For years, Japan has been known as an 'Apple fortress' due to extremely high iPhone loyalty, making it a challenging market for Android manufacturers. However, recent data from Counterpoint Research shows Samsung's sell-through share reached about 10%, allowing it to reclaim the No. 2 spot for the first time in three years. This signals that a well-executed strategy can indeed shift the dynamics, even in the world's most Apple-centric market.
This comeback wasn't accidental; it was the result of a deliberate, multi-pronged strategy. First was the focus on differentiated 'AI phone' features. Starting with the Galaxy S25 in early 2025 and continuing with the S26, Samsung pushed unique AI-driven use cases that gave consumers a clear reason to consider an alternative to the iPhone. Second, Samsung leveraged its leadership in a distinct hardware category: foldables. The Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7, launched in mid-2025, saw strong initial sales, capturing consumer interest with a form factor Apple does not yet offer. Third, Samsung pursued channel diversification. It expanded beyond traditional carrier shops to major e-commerce platforms like Rakuten and Yahoo! Shopping, while also running aggressive promotions, such as offering the Galaxy A25 for just JPY 1 through Rakuten Mobile.
It's worth noting that different market researchers tell slightly different stories. While Counterpoint's sell-through data places Samsung at No. 2, Japan's MM Research Institute, which tracks shipments, places it at No. 3 behind Google. However, both firms agree on the most important strategic point: Samsung has firmly re-established a double-digit market share. This corroboration makes the comeback narrative robust.
Ultimately, the news confirms that Samsung's re-entry into relevance in Japan is real. The combination of software innovation (AI), hardware differentiation (foldables), and smarter distribution has paid off. The challenge now is to sustain this momentum, especially with potential component cost increases on the horizon and the ever-present possibility of an Apple foldable device.
- Sell-through: The number of units sold to end consumers by retailers or carriers.
- Shipments: The number of units sent from the manufacturer to distributors and retailers. This figure doesn't necessarily reflect final sales to consumers.
- MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator): A carrier that does not own its own wireless network infrastructure but instead buys network access from larger operators and sells it to its own customers.