Samsung Galaxy S III Estimated to Top iPhone 4S in 3Q 2012 Worldwide Shipments

[MacRumors]

Research firm Strategy Analytics today released a report estimating that Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone overtook the iPhone 4S for the top spot in global shipments.

Samsung's Galaxy S3 smartphone model shipped 18.0 million units worldwide during the third quarter of 2012. The Galaxy S3 captured an impressive 11 percent share of all smartphones shipped globally and it has become the world's best-selling smartphone model for the first time ever.

Apple observers will of course be quick to note that the iPhone 4S saw waning sales during the third quarter leading into and following the launch of the iPhone 5, while the Galaxy S III is still riding relatively high as Samsung's flagship Android device since its launch in May of this year. Strategy Analytics also estimates that Samsung's position at the top will be short-lived, with the iPhone 5 expected to take back the crown for the current quarter.

The Apple iPhone 5 has gotten off to a solid start already with an estimated 6.0 million units shipped globally during Q3 2012. 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.

Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley had previously reported that the Galaxy S III overtook the iPhone 4S in sales at major U.S. carriers back in August.

Article Link: Samsung Galaxy S III Estimated to Top iPhone 4S in 3Q 2012 Worldwide Shipments

[Eidorian]

I was wondering when this would show up on MacRumors.

[ouimetnick]

The iPhone 5 is the flagship iPhone. Thats what counts.

[gmanist1000]

Wow a new phone beats an old phone? Amazing.

[Nathan20]

SHIPMENTS not sales...

[nick_elt]

Theres so many different angles to view this news. fanboys from both sides would love to have their say. Grabbing the popcorn...

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Originally Posted by ouimetnick

The iPhone 5 is the flagship iPhone. Thats what counts.

you could say the note 2 is the top samsung too... (i realise its prob not as popular tho)

year over year sales would show a much better picture

[bacaramac]

I don't care how many they ship/sell. As long as Apple keeps making products I love, I'll continue to buy.

[noverflow]

So...
But if you add the iPhone 5 + the 4s, you get higher sales.

So the iPhone shipments are still higher.
Basically all this shows is that people stopped buying the 4s after the 5 was announced.

Not very interesting at all.

[Oletros]

I will enjoy the battle while sipping a Westmalle

[wizzerandchips]

Originally Posted by noverflow

So...
But if you add the iPhone 5 + the 4s, you get higher sales.

So the iPhone shipments are still higher.
Basically all this shows is that people stopped buying the 4s after the 5 was announced.

Not very interesting at all.

And the fact is the s111... Is a nice phone

[robvas]

I know 3 or 4 people who have gotten the 4S in the last couple weeks. Why wouldn't you get the 5? they are scared of the $199 price but they don't realize you're paying that over the life of the contract, so it's really only about 7.50/month!

[Simplicated]

Okay, marked as read.

* Moves on to another article *

Long version: I seriously don't care about the number of phones Samsung has shipped.

[chagla]

Originally Posted by Nathan20

SHIPMENTS not sales...

right because retailers seem to love stockpiling units of unsold S3 on their shelves.

it's probably a strange fetish.

[jrswizzle]

The numbers I find interesting are the GS3's Q2 shipments vs. the iP5's Q3 numbers....

The GS3 was on the market for about 1 month (May 29 - June 30) of Q2 and sold/shipped 5.4 million units.

The iP5 was on the market for just over 1 week (September 21 - September 30) of Q3 and sold/shipped 6.0 million units.

[nick_elt]

Originally Posted by jrswizzle

The numbers I find interesting are the GS3's Q2 shipments vs. the iP5's Q3 numbers....

The GS3 was on the market for about 1 month (May 29 - June 30) of Q2 and sold/shipped 5.4 million units.

The iP5 was on the market for just over 1 week (September 21 - September 30) of Q3 and sold/shipped 6.0 million units.

considering the competition in the android market, they are truely remarkable numbers which ever way you look at it

[MacCurry]

If you're going to count the iPhone 4s and 5 as the flagship phone sales, then you must count the Galaxy Note II as well. Before the iPhone 5s comes out, Samsung will have sold several million of Galaxy S4 in the 2nd quarter of 2013.

[iekozz]

Originally Posted by noverflow

So...
But if you add the iPhone 5 + the 4s, you get higher sales.

So the iPhone shipments are still higher.
Basically all this shows is that people stopped buying the 4s after the 5 was announced.

Not very interesting at all.

But if you add the Note II sales to the GSIII sales you get higher sales.

[Lordskelic]

Saying this on these forums is really dangerous...but I honestly think the Galaxy S III is a really good phone, but I'm not saying I like Samsung. I hate their tactics and advertisements.

[JAT]

Red graphics? Really?

[phpmaven]

No Surprise. It's a great device.

[cdmoore74]

Originally Posted by Nathan20

SHIPMENTS not sales...

Hope so. The S3 will be 96¢ on black Friday. Its going to sell even more while Apple struggles with foxconn's incompetence.

[ActionJax]

Using the (flawed) Apple-haters' logic, all these people flocking to the Samsung Galaxy S III are one or more of the following:

• Sheeple;
• Drones;
• Stupid people easily fooled by marketing;
• Kool-Aid drinkers.

[NoMoreSony]

Originally Posted by jrswizzle

The numbers I find interesting are the GS3's Q2 shipments vs. the iP5's Q3 numbers....

The GS3 was on the market for about 1 month (May 29 - June 30) of Q2 and sold/shipped 5.4 million units.

The iP5 was on the market for just over 1 week (September 21 - September 30) of Q3 and sold/shipped 6.0 million units.

There are more interesting numbers

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2012...e-Million.html

So, more than 5 million was sold in just 3 days (21-24 September) and less than 1 million for the remaining 6 days (25-31 September).

[jrswizzle]

Originally Posted by NoMoreSony

There are more interesting numbers

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2012...e-Million.html

So, more than 5 million was sold in just 3 days (21-24 September) and less than 1 million for the remaining 6 days (25-31 September).

Yup - some bad supply constraints. Hope they get it squared away soon enough!

[frayne182]

If the S3 was a 4'' phone and not a huge brick I would of been all over it. I know they are making a smaller one, but with also watered down features so I don't count that one


I want the S3 as it stands in a 4'' form factor. I don't like big phones. I would of gotten the S3 over the iPhone 5 for sure.