New monthly data released on Thursday by mobile phone market tracker Counterpoint Research highlighted Samsung's problems, showing its latest Galaxy 9 Plus premium handset had been overtaken by Apple Inc's iPhone 8 as the world's top-selling smartphone due to weak sales in Europe. Competition from cheaper Chinese brands like Xiaomi Corp and Huawei have already seen Samsung lose market share in China and India, the world's top smartphone markets. CHIPPING AWAY While the smartphone business struggles, Samsung's profits are being driven by strong global sales of DRAM and NAND chips which account for about a third of its revenue. Overall sales likely fell 4.9 per cent from a year earlier to 58 trillion won, Samsung said, versus analysts' average forecast of 59.7 trillion won. The firm did not elaborate and will release detailed earnings in late July.