Samsung overtakes Apple as Galaxy S3 becomes a bestseller
SAMSUNG’S Galaxy S3 overtook Apple’s iPhone 4S to become the world’s bestselling smartphone in the third quarter of the year, according to research firm Strategy Analytics.
Samsung shipped 18m of its flagship model, compared to the iPhone 4S’s 16.2m. This was partly due to the fact that the latest version of Apple’s device, the iPhone 5, was introduced at the end of the quarter. Apple shipped 6m iPhone 5s in the period, according to the research, meaning that the combined figure for the 4S and 5 was 22.2m. Even with this caveat, it is the first time in years that Apple has not had the top selling model, demonstrating serious competition from Samsung.
“We expect the new iPhone 5 to out-ship Samsung’s Galaxy S3 in the coming fourth quarter,” Neil Mawston of Strategy Analytics said.
“Apple should soon reclaim the title of the world’s most popular smartphone model.”
The news demonstrates the continued rise of the Korean company, which last year overtook Apple to be the world’s biggest smartphone manufacturer by sales.
The Galaxy S3 accounted for 11 per cent of all smartphone shipments in the third quarter, according to the research.
Total smartphone sales were 167.8m, up from 152.8m in the previous quarter, even as the number shipped was somewhat subdued as people waited for the launch of the iPhone 5.