Samsung’s Galaxy S III Overtakes the iPhone 4S as the World’s Best-Selling Smartphone in Q3 2012

Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S III handset usurped the Apple iPhone 4S as the world’s best-selling smartphone in the third quarter of 2012, according to a new report released by market research and consulting firm Strategy Analytics.

The figures show the S III to have shifted 18 million units in Q3, compared to the iPhone 4S’ 16.2 million. Meanwhile, the S III commanded a 10.7% share of the global smartphone market compared to the iPhone 4S’ 9.7%.

It’s worth noting that sales of the 4S were tempered by the launch of the iPhone 5 in Q3. Apple’s latest handset sold 6 million units and grabbed 3.6% global smartphone market share, Strategy Analytics says.

Samsung’s claim to the smartphone crown is unlikely to be maintained though. The iPhone 5 launched close to the end of the third quarter of the year and suffered limited availability at first.

The S III is still selling healthily, having sold 10 million units in the past two months alone, and has sold more than 30 million units this year, according to Samsung. Still, it won’t be surprising if Q4 sees the now widely available iPhone 5 rise as rapidly as the S III did. In Q2, the Samsung’s flagship sold just 5.4 million units according to Strategy Analytics, so such fast increases are certainly possible. Indeed, Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, says in today’s press release, “We expect the new iPhone 5 to out-ship Samsung’s Galaxy S3 in the coming fourth quarter of 2012 and Apple should soon reclaim the title of the world’s most popular smartphone model.”

With Samsung and Apple the undisputed kings of the smartphone market right now, releasing flagship devices once per year, six months apart from each other, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the top spot in studies such as this one flip between the two companies regularly.

Via: The Next Web

Prateek Panda

Prateek is the Founder of TheTechPanda. He's passionate about technology startups and entrepreneurship and enjoys speaking to new founders every day. Prateek has also been consistently regarded as one of the top marketing experts in the region.

Recent Posts

Geek Appeal: New gadgets & apps on the block

The Tech Panda takes a look at recently launched gadgets & apps in the market.…

2 hours ago

Craft-tech fusion: Startups redefining Indian handicrafts with AI & e-commerce

India’s handicraft industry is a dazzling mosaic of culture and creativity, now being rewoven with…

1 day ago

Can you trust AI with your fundraising secrets?

A founder’s guide to data privacy in the age of GenAI AI has shifted from…

5 days ago

Can India be a South Asian tech titan in the making?

India has been embracing technology at a high rate. The world has expectations from the…

6 days ago

Building tomorrow’s offices: Blending aesthetics with automation, sensors & sustainability

In a world where the lines between physical and digital experiences are increasingly blurred, the…

6 days ago

For medical research & doctors AI has been a good team player

No matter what other controversy Artificial Intelligence (AI) might be getting into, AI has been…

1 week ago