Irish love affair with brands bears rich pickings for both Apple and Samsung

Irish people place far more importance on brands when it comes to buying smartphones than most other markets, according to Gary Twohig, head of Samsung Ireland. Seven out of 10 of us own a smartphone.

This makes Ireland a hard nut to crack for the new phone manufacturers springing up around the globe - but it's great news for Apple and Samsung, who vie for the top spot as the world's most popular phone manufacturer.

Samsung's shares have surged to a new high in recent weeks as the Korean company maintained a winning streak.

The success of its latest flagship Galaxy phones have fuelled a 30pc rally this year, outpacing Apple's roughly 4pc gain. That ascent has held firm even as Apple prepares to introduce a new iPhone, one of the highlights of the industry calendar.

Both companies have yet to offer an Irish launch date for their much-hyped payment services, which will allow smartphone users to pay for products with a swipe of their phone rather than a credit or debit card. It is seen as a crucial battleground for smartphone manufacturers.

Twohig said the service will make it to Ireland, but it could be next year.