Samsung is to make a move to capture a third of China's entry-level smartphone market with a pair of new low-cost handsets for the region.

Speaking at a Beijing news briefing, Samsung China SVP Wang Tong said the "strong market trend" for low-price smartphones in China was behind his company's move, as well as the sheer size of the market at hand.

High and low

Indeed, market intelligence firm IDC has already predicted China will overtake the US to become the world's largest smartphone market in 2012, though aiming for the low-end of this sizeable userbase will see Samsung line up in direct competition with Motorola, HTC and ZTE.

Chinese search specialist Baidu is also making a play for the low-end smartphone market in the region, and its debut handset - which will run a tailored version of Android - is expected to retail for less than 1,000 yuan (around $160).

That's a price tag that Samsung can't currently match.

The firm's newly announced handsets - the S6102E and S6352 – will retail for 1,158 yuan (around $180) and 1,599 yuan ($250) respectively, although they will be available at cheaper rates via contract.

[source: China Daily]