While it may lack the cool credentials of arch rival Apple, Samsung remains one of the largest and most diversified companies on the planet.

So today we're is looking a little closer at the South Korean-based behemoth.

Baby steps

Samsung was founded back in 1938, and in its first iteration was a trading company dealing with groceries. Foodies might be interested to learn that Samsung also produced its own range of noodles.

Fast forward 70 years and Samsung is now the world's largest information technology company. In fact its revenue equalled 17% of South Korea's GDP in 2013.

Mobile monolith

Samsung is nipping at the heels of Apple when it comes to the exploding mobile market.

Samsung now accounts for 31.1% of global smartphone shipments, selling close to 120 million handsets annually.

Apple smack down

In South Korea Samsung commands 60% of the smartphone market, with Apple making up 14%.

In the final quarter of 2013 the company shipped 79 million smartphones, compared to Apple's 39 million.

However Samsung still lags when it comes to tablet dominance, and currently represents just 9% of global tablet shipments.

Money bags

In 2013 Samsung Electronics' global revenue topped US$216.71 billion. 

Over the same period Samsung netted US$47 million in TV sales and close to US$7 million in laser printer sales.

However its biggest earner was from semiconductor sales, which accounted for US$30 billion in 2014.