The impact of Korean Wave on smartphones around the world accounts for more than 40%.

The impact of Korean Wave on smartphones around the world accounts for more than 40%.

The combined share of South Korea's two technology giants Samsung and LG Electronics in the global smartphone market will reach a record high of 42.1% in the first quarter of this year, widening the gap with US and Chinese competitors, according to Yonhap news agency.

According to the report, data from market research firm Strategic Analysis (Strategy Analytics) show that Samsung Electronics (Samsung Electronics Co.) and LG Electronics (LG) will have a market share of 36.2% and 5.9% respectively in the first quarter of this year, which will be the first time that Samsung and LG have a combined market share of more than 40%. Samsung and LG had a combined market share of 36.2% in the fourth quarter of last year.

Strategy analyst points out that Samsung, as the world leader in mobile phone manufacturing, will continue to be the king in the market with its Galaxy phones and Note tablets.

In order to catch up with its domestic and foreign competitors, LG launched a series of top smartphones last year, including the LG G2.

Samsung and LG launched epoch-making curved smartphones late last year.

Apple, which won 18.6 per cent of the global market in the fourth quarter of last year, is expected to decline to 17 per cent in the first quarter of this year.

However, market watchers say Apple's market share is expected to rebound in the fourth quarter of this year, when it will launch a new flagship machine.

Mainland smartphone companies, including Huawei, LenovoGroup and ZTE, are expected to account for less than 5 per cent of the market in the first quarter.