Samsung in on pace to become the #1 seller of phones in the world and the #1 seller of smartphones in the world. I don't have access to their numbers since they're a private company, but from what they report their revenue and profits dwarf that of RIM.
Most Asia-based manufacturers can have lower cost than any North America-based manufacturers. Just ask Broadcom whether they're feeling the heat from Taiwan-based manufacturers.
Race to the bottom doesn't necessarily mean a bad thing if you can produce the cheapest alternatives. But it is bad if you can't do that.
