Editing Portable media player (section)

===Brands and popularity throughout the world===
By the mid-2000s and the years after, Apple with its iPod was the best-selling DAP or PMP by a significant margin, with one out of four sold worldwide being an iPod. It was especially dominant in the United States where it had over 70% of sales at different points in time,<ref name="germ"/> is nearest competitor in 2006 being [[SanDisk]].<ref name="review"/> Apple also led in Japan over homegrown makers [[Sony]] and [[Panasonic]] during this time,<ref name="review">{{cite web|title=Mobile-review.com MP3-players – Global markets|url=https://mobile-review.com/print.php?filename=%2Fmp3%2Farticles%2Fmp3-global-en.shtml|access-date=2021-03-26|website=mobile-review.com|archive-date=25 November 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061125191014/https://mobile-review.com/print.php?filename=%2Fmp3%2Farticles%2Fmp3-global-en.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref> although the gap between Apple and Sony had closed by about 2010.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2009/09/walkman-outsells-ipod-in-japan/|title = Walkman Outsells iPod in Japan|magazine = Wired|last1 = Sorrel|first1 = Charlie}}</ref> In South Korea, the market was led by local brands iRiver, Samsung and [[Cowon]] as of 2005.<ref name="Smith">{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Tony |title=iPod fails to impress South Koreans|url=https://www.theregister.com/2005/08/11/apple_ipod_sk/|access-date=March 26, 2021|website=www.theregister.com}}</ref>

European buying patterns differed; while Apple was in a particularly strong position in the United Kingdom, continental Western Europe generally preferred cheaper, often Chinese rebranded players under local brands such as [[Grundig]].<ref name="germ"/> Meanwhile, in Eastern Europe including Russia, higher priced players with improved design or functionality were preferred instead. In South Korea makers like iRiver and Samsung were particularly popular, as well as such OEM models under local brands. [[Creative Labs|Creative]] was the top-selling maker in its home country of Singapore. In China, local brands Newman, DEC and Aigo were noted as the top vendors as of 2006.<ref name="review"/>