Samsung Electronics topped smartphone sales charts in five global markets in the July-September period, according to an industry report Sunday.

The tech giant took the top spot in five regions -- Western Europe, Asia-Pacific, Central and South America, Eastern Europe and the Middle East and Africa.

Samsung shipped a total of 83.8 million smartphone units during the three-month period -- 15.3 million in Western Europe, 23.2 million in Asia-Pacific, 11.8 million in Central and South America, 69 million in Eastern Europe and 16.1 million in the Middle East and Africa -- according to the report compiled by market research firm Strategy Analytics.
 
The research firm explained that Samsung was able to make the achievements thanks largely to their robust performance in emerging markets -- the Middle East and Africa, Central and South America and Eastern Europe.

In the Middle East and African region, Samsung’s market share reached 52.1 percent with its sales there having increased by 3 million from the previous quarter.

“Not only Samsung, but other high-end handset makers including Apple will make further efforts to guard their market shares in the emerging markets in the face of challenges posed by Chinese upstarts including Huawei and Xiaomi,” a market official predicted.

Huawei and Xiaomi -- the third- and fifth-largest handset makers in the world in terms of sales -- snatched 10.4 percent and 10.5 percent, respectively, in the Asia-Pacific region, compared to 11.7 percent for Samsung and 11.1 percent for Apple.

In order to ride the momentum, Samsung reportedly plans to cut down on the prices of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, which is likely to be announced at the firm’s annual event to introduce its Galaxy smartphone series in the first quarter next year, according to Pan Jiutang, an analyst from Chinese research firm Shenzhen Huaqiang Electronics Research Institute.

The factory prices of the 32GB models of the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge stood at 858,000 won ($744) and 878,900 won.

Samsung reportedly enjoyed a sales boost when it reduced the prices of the S6 to 779,900 won last month in Korea.

Samsung’s move to cut the prices of its upcoming flagship smartphones are part of its measures to take on other rivals, including Apple and LG, which have recently rolled out new flagship handsets.

Since the release of California-based Apple’s iPhone 6S and 6S Plus in Korea on Oct. 23, the market share of the firm in the nation edged up to 41.3 percent in the fourth week last month, up from 39 percent during the previous week, according to market researcher ATLAS Research and Consulting.

Samsung and LG’s market shares on their home turf decreased to 44.8 percent and 12.9 percent during the same periods.

By Kim Young-won  (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)