Seoul.
Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S3 became the world's best-selling smartphone
model last quarter, pushing aside Apple Inc's iPhone, which has dominated the
chart for more than two years, research firm Strategy Analytics has said.
Strategy
Analytics estimated Samsung sold 18 million S3 models in the third quarter,
compared with iPhone 4S sales of 16.2 million.Strong
sales of the flagship Galaxy S3 - which comes with a large 4.8 inch
touchscreen - helped Samsung post a record $7.3 billion operating profit in
the July-September quarter.
"Samsung's Galaxy S3 has proven wildly popular with
consumers and operators across North America, Europe and Asia," said
analyst Neil Mawston, adding the new iPhone 5 would likely reclaim the top
spot for Apple in the current quarter.
On
Monday, Samsung said it has sold more than 30 million flagship Galaxy S III smartphones
in about five months, making it one of the fastest selling smartphones in the
world.
Samsung Electronics Co., the world's biggest mobile phone
maker, launched the smartphone at the end of May, months before competitors
began shipping the latest versions of their top phones. When Apple Inc. unveiled the iPhone 5 in
September, Samsung launched an advertising campaign poking fun at the new
iPhone.
The
South Korean firm said the S III is selling at a much faster rate than its
predecessor announced a year ago, the Galaxy S II. The S II took 14 months to
hit 30 million sales. Sales of the Galaxy Note II, which fills a market niche
between smartphones and tablets, surpassed three million in 37 days, Samsung
said last week.
The
runaway demand for high-end smartphones fuelled record profits at Samsung in
recent quarters while other consumer electronics firms were hit by the global
economic downturn that dented demand for TVs and personal computers.
Samsung, which also makes TVs, home appliances, semiconductors and display
panels, got almost 70 per cent of its third-quarter operating
profit from the division that makes mobile devices, cameras and
computers. Nomura Financial Investment in Seoul forecasts that Samsung
will sell 67 million smartphones in the October-December quarter. That would
be about 10 million units more than Samsung's smartphone sales in the
previous quarter.
Samsung
does not disclose its quarterly smartphone sales figures, but analysts and
research firms say the company sold a record 56-58 million smartphones in
July-September. (Agencies)
Nomura, which is more optimistic about Samsung's prospects than other forecasters, says Samsung's mobile communications business will post five per cent growth in fourth quarter profit from the third quarter, thanks to the high-end phones — the S III and the Note II.
Research firm IDC ranks the South Korean firm as the world's top smartphone seller in the last three quarters. In the latest July-September period, Samsung sold 56.3 million smartphones versus Apple's 26.9 million, IDC said.
Nomura, which is more optimistic about Samsung's prospects than other forecasters, says Samsung's mobile communications business will post five per cent growth in fourth quarter profit from the third quarter, thanks to the high-end phones — the S III and the Note II.
Research firm IDC ranks the South Korean firm as the world's top smartphone seller in the last three quarters. In the latest July-September period, Samsung sold 56.3 million smartphones versus Apple's 26.9 million, IDC said.