New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS): Samsung said on Thursday it sold 67 million units of handsets in the fourth quarter (October-December period), down from 88 million units in the previous quarter, with more than 90 per cent of them being smartphones.

Its tablet sales reached 10 million units in Q4, up from 9 million units sold in the third quarter.

Looking ahead to the first quarter, Samsung said market demand for smartphones and tablets is expected to decline compared with the previous quarter,

It, however, hoped that both revenue and profit for its mobile business are expected to rise on the back of its new Galaxy S21 smartphone series and improved product mix.

"Upcoming release of new mass-market products will also contribute to the growth in the first quarter," the company said in a statement.

In 2021, the Mobile Communications Business aims to strengthen its leadership in the premium segment through the Galaxy S21 series and expansion of the foldable category including the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip.

The company said it will also strive to improve its overall sales by expanding 5G device lineup for the mass market, as well as tablets and wearable products.

Samsung will also continue to expand the Galaxy ecosystem through strategic collaborations with global partners while enhancing the cost structure and operational efficiency further.

Samsung's mobile business suffered a slump by posting sales of 22.34 trillion won in the fourth quarter, down 10.5 per cent from a year earlier, while the unit's operating profit slid 4 per cent on-year to 2.42 trillion won.

Samsung's Consumer Electronics (CE) business division reported an increase in fourth-quarter earnings, with sales rising 7 per cent.

Samsung said its fourth-quarter TV shipments increased slightly from the previous quarter, thanks to strong year-end demand in advanced markets.

For its digital appliances business, Samsung said the market demand increased amid the at-home trend caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.