We’re often asked where are Samsung phones manufactured. There are several options: Taiwan, India, Brazil, and South Korea. Let’s explore the different options. In the end, the decision is ultimately up to you. Whether you buy a Samsung phone is ultimately a personal choice, but the answer should be clear for the consumer. Samsung is a global brand, and while it has its head office in South Korea, the majority of its production takes place overseas.
Samsung is the number one cellphone maker in the world. In fact, it’s the number one cellphone brand in the world (measured by number of units shipped), so you might assume that most Samsung phones are made in South Korea, where Samsung is based. But you would be wrong. Most of them are made thousands of miles away, here in China.
South Korea
Most Samsung products are manufactured in Vietnam, which is one of the world’s top manufacturing countries. The country is home to six manufacturing plants and about 16,000 workers. Samsung has announced the opening of a $3 billion Smartphone factory in Vietnam, which will rival the competition of emerging smartphone brands. This will help Samsung cut costs by reducing the number of steps involved in making smartphones. However, Samsung will still retain control over the design, quality, and technology of its products.
Taiwan
Samsung mobile has been manufacturing in Taiwan for several years, and the company produces a wide range of smartphones there. Many of these phones offer good design, appropriate display sizes, high-quality cameras, and enough battery life. They also feature advanced connectivity options. Samsung Galaxy smartphones are usually released with sufficient RAM and ROM, and their prices are reasonably low. However, one issue arises with some Samsung mobiles: some of them are not made in Taiwan.
India
The latest news about the Indian manufacturing industry relates to the question of whether or not Samsung phones are made in India. The South Korean company, Samsung Electronics, is committed to manufacturing in India. It has set up two factories in India, five R&D centers, and a design center. It currently employs more than 30,000 people in its manufacturing facilities in India. There are 1.5 lakh retail outlets and more than 3,000 customer service centers across the country.
Brazil
As of last quarter, Samsung is the leader in Brazilian smartphone sales, gaining more than ten percentage points. The company secured 42,9 percent of the total number of sales in the fourth quarter of 2015. According to Counterpoint research, Samsung was helped by the poor performance of the smaller brands, which saw their market share fall from 28 percent in Q4 2014 to 15,7 percent. Five brands are still leading the Brazilian smartphone market, but not all saw growth in the fourth quarter.
Indonesia
A new manufacturing facility set up by Samsung in Indonesia, which has been a major player in the smartphone industry for years, will increase production capacity. The company has committed to invest $140 million in expanding its Indonesian facility, with approximately half of that amount going to expand production in Indonesia. While Indonesia currently accounts for about four percent of the company’s overall phone production, it will soon surpass India’s share to account for nearly 30 percent of total smartphone production. The company also plans to reduce its dependence on imports of cellular devices.
