Samsung Galaxy S III sales exceeded that of the iPhone 4S for the first time during the third quarter of 2012, but its lead is not expected to last.
Samsung shifted 18 million units during the period, up from 5.4 million during the previous quarter, while sales of the iPhone 4S dropped from 19.4 million to 16.2 million.
The decline in sales was attributed to consumers delaying their purchase of an Apple smartphone until the launch of the iPhone 5, which launched in September. Apple shifted 6 million iPhone 5s in the third quarter, which, when combined with sales of the iPhone 4S, exceeds the Samsung Galaxy S III’s total.
The Samsung Galaxy’s ascent to the top of the table represents a success for the Korean manufacturer, which is battling Apple in both the smartphone market and the courtroom. The Samsung Galaxy S III was released in May and sold more than ten million units during its first two months on sale.
However, analysts do not expect Samsung’s lead to last for too long.
“The Galaxy S3’s position as the world’s best-selling smartphone model is likely to be short-lived. The Apple iPhone 5 has gotten off to a solid start already with an estimated 6 million units shipped globally during Q3 2012,” commented Neil Mawston, executive director at Strategy Analytics. “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.”
This of course depends on Apple’s ability to produce enough iPhone 5s. More than five million devices were shifted during its first three days on sale, but assembler Foxconn has reported it is struggling to keep up with demand. This, along with increased competition and management changes, has affected investor confidence and resulted in Apple’s share price slumping to a five month low earlier this week.
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