Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest smartphone maker, increased its dominance of the Western Europe smartphone market in the first quarter of the year, data showed Thursday.

Samsung sold 14.3 million units in the region during the January-March period, taking up 45 percent of the market, according to the data compiled by market researcher IDC.

The first-quarter figure compares with the 39 percent market share a year earlier, it showed.

On the other hand, Apple Inc. saw its sales fall to 6.2 million in the region during the cited period from 7 million a year earlier, with its market share dipping to 20 percent from 25 percent over the cited period, the data showed.

Sony Corp. came in third in the region with a 10 percent market share in the first quarter, followed by LG Electronics Co., which saw its market share jump to 4 percent in the first quarter from 2 percent a year earlier.

The data showed that Android gained operating system market share garnering 69 percent in the first quarter, compared with 55 percent a year earlier. (Yonhap News)