Why 2014 Was A Challenging Year For Samsung's Smartphone Business

As of Q3 2014, Samsung's smartphone market share fell to around 24% from around 32% a year ago. Revenues from the mobile division have declined by around 18.5% year-over-year for the first 9 months of 2014, while operating margins have fallen from around 19% to about 15%, on the back of higher marketing and promotional costs and lower average selling prices. The division has dragged down Samsung?s overall performance, with the company reporting a 30% decline in operating profits during the first...