Apple and Samsung Electronics took up most of the mobile handset industry's operating profits in the second quarter. Only three firms, Apple, Samsung and HTC made a profit from their sale of phones.

Quoting a report by Canaccord Genuity on Monday, the U.S. business magazine Forbes wrote, "Apple and Samsung captured a remarkable 108% of Q2/12 handset industry profits."

"Apple generated [a] 71 percent share of estimated Q2/12 handset industry operating profits with only 6.5 percent" of the global market share, it added. "With its significant share gains and increased margins during Q2/12, Samsung's share of industry profits increased from roughly 26 percent in Q1/12 to 37 percent in Q2/12."

Their combined operating profits exceeded 100 percent because their competitors posted operating losses.

In the second quarter, Apple posted operating profits of US$11.6 billion (approximately W13.11 trillion). Samsung's IM Division, which is in charge of handset business, accounted for W4.19 trillion of Samsung's entire operating profits of W6.72 trillion (US$1=W1,129).

Samsung sold a total of 93 million smartphones and feature phones, far outperforming Apple's 26 million. HTC took 3 percent of the global industry profits.