SEOUL, KOREA - Samsung Electronics, which has been leading the Chinese smartphone market, is facing the risk of losing its No. 1 position as the share of Android-based Chinese-made smartphones is gaining at a rapid pace.

According to market research firm Gartner, Samsung Electronics holds a commanding market share of 40 percent in China's Android platform market, while that of Chinese suppliers rose sharply to 25 percent, up 15 percent from a year ago.

IT market research firm Strategy Analytics revealed that although Samsung Electronics gained the No. 1 spot in China's smartphone market in the first quarter of this year with a market share of 18.5 percent, Chinese competitors, including Huawei, Lenovo, Cool Pad, and ZTE, are making rapid growth, sweeping the No.2 to 5 spots in the ranking.