Samsung has hit number one for prepay for the first time in years, and is targeting the number one spot for contracts by the end of the year.

The Korean manufacturer is now within touching distance of Nokia’s leadership of the UK market, and Samsung now believes it can reach and hold on to a number one position.

Samsung has had a blistering last few months, with the Tocco and Soul handsets the catalysts that have taken Samsung within 3% of Nokia’s lead, which stands at around 30%, according to sources.

Samsung handsets have also taken the top three positions in prepay – a section of the market it didn’t even operate in until relatively recently.
Mark Mitchinson (pictured), Samsung VP for UK and Ireland, told Mobile: ‘It’s our objective to be number one – we are very close now. There are just over three percentage points between Samsung and Nokia in brand share.’

Samsung is expected to have a global launch of the upcoming Omnia phone with a grand launch in the style of the iPhone. The Omnia has been earmarked to give a further boost to Samsung’s sales, taking the baton from the Tocco (pictured) which has featured high in the charts.

‘The segments we’re addressing are more the heartland of Nokia. We’re eating into space where Nokia had dominated.’

Non-specialist retailers like Tesco and Argos are understood to have enjoyed brisk trade on the back of the Samsung G600 and U600, which have been moved down into key price points such as £150 and £100. It has also pushed the J700 close to £50.

Meanwhile, Nokia has set an 1 October launch date for the long-awaited N96, and has several mid-range phones set for the latter half of the year, geared mainly around navigation. It also expects to enjoy a lift in sales when it launches its first phones with the Comes With Music service.