The Samsung Galaxy S3 is the best-selling phone in the world -- beating the iPhone for the first time.
The latest sales figures from the numbercrunchers at Strategy Analytics show the S3 top at the tills, shifting 18 million phones in the last three months. Meanwhile 16.2 million iPhone 4S blowers changed hands.
The quad-core, 4.8-inch S3 deserves every bit of its success. A gorgeous screen, excellent camera and exceptional all-round performance earned it a coveted CNET UK Editor's Choice Award.
In the iPhone's defence, the period in question saw many customers holding off buying an Apple phone as they waited for the new iPhone 5 to drop. Arriving in shops in September, the iPhone 5 had only the very end of the quarter in question to make up for the dip in sales of the 4S.
The newest iPhone has done boffo business from day one, selling a healthy 6 million phones in this same period. All the signs suggest it'll probably retake the top spot when figures for the last quarter of the year are compiled. But the S3 will continue to sell like hot cakes too, especially with a couple of fillips arriving recently: new colours, new Jelly Bean software, and a 4G version called the S3 LTE.
In total, the S3 has sold over 30 million phones.
As Samsung celebrates, Nokia's had a shocker and RIM's in the bin: sales figures from Canalys suggest that Nokia Lumia and BlackBerry phones sales are struggling, even overtaken by the likes of Lenovo. HTC has also seen sales flag.
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Comments 19
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anonymous 8 November, 2012 18:23
I don't understand how people can pay MONEY for such a bad device.....
anonymous 8 November, 2012 18:42
... I know with the step back in mapping software and poorly designed camera lense they put on there only a mug would pay money for that scratch prone piece of rotten fruit.
ArclightJones 8 November, 2012 20:40
I don't understand how people can pay MONEY for such a bad device..... I totally agree, people paying for the iphone 5 have more money then sense, glad I have my Samsung Galaxy S3 instead of the rotten apple phone
billy 8 November, 2012 20:49
I made the change from Apple 4 to the S3. It was like tearing off a bandage. You dread loosing all of your apps and other stuff but it has all been worth it. So happy to have left Communist Apple. My S3 is such a breath of fresh air.
damien2501 8 November, 2012 22:19
S3 sucks, cheaply made, terrible battery life, huge screen, ugly, buggy software
CaptainPicard 8 November, 2012 23:04
Shut it, damidiot2501. If you can read the article, its the best selling phone in the world at the moment. And you clearly dont have a phone.
Besides, the new iPhone sucks, its owners get lost, photo's are crap, small screen, and clearly over priced. And so are Nokia's new range.
damien2501 8 November, 2012 23:23
Windows phones rock, don't fall into the trap of thinking they aint all that just cos the tech sites don't rate them. Windows phone is the most stable OS, IOS is stable and packed with quality apps. Android is buggy unstable and has an app market full of crap, scams and viruses.
CaptainPicard 8 November, 2012 23:27
I like the way Windows mobile OS looks, and am not that bothered about apps, but its over priced, especially now that the LG Nexus 4 came out. I was honestly gonna buy the Nokia Lumia 920, because it sponsors some of my favourite programs on Channel 4, but £520?? I went for the One X; although I wish I waited for the Nexus 4.
anonymous 8 November, 2012 23:44
damien2501 still here proving that he is obsessed with plastic and knows nothing about mobile tech. If the s3 sucks so bad then why do 30million peeps own it and 99 percent of them love it? Your throwing a stropp because apple can not do it anymore.
anonymous 9 November, 2012 01:44
Damien you said "Android is buggy unstable". Ive had Droid phones since froyo and have never had a bug or an error occur. Infact when a bug does occur its sorted very quickly, as a posed to Apple who when giving people the latest updates screw up their phone even more.
anonymous 9 November, 2012 08:48
damien2501 is such idiot, one of the most moronic named commentors on cnet uk. Android is far from buggy and unstable, All OS have bugs but they get fixed
Also he is what happens when people escape from their cells and straight jackets and got to the nurse's computer!
Amy Green 9 November, 2012 11:20
The first sign that the mighty Apple tree is withering away and to be honest with all their stupid patents cases and bully tactics I will be happy to see them go and will gladly line up for days outside one of their stores to cheer them on as they crumble and fall :D. I'm not a troll or anything in fact I am an ipad owner but I'm just sick of Apple now they had their time in the spot light and its time you went, just go away.
whack3r24 9 November, 2012 11:41
The S3 is an awesome phone but unfortunately I don't think the figures mean anything. Yes, the S3 has sold more than the 4s but the iphone 5 drastically halted 4s sells. Furthermore, I'm not sure how many iphone 5s have been sold since launch but even that isn't a true reflection as you still have reserve them on a daily basis just to get one which means the demand is far from being supplied. point is, as much as it saddens me, the S3 outselling the iphone 4s has nothing to do people finally realizing the S3 is better and more to do with the release of a newer iphone
anonymous 9 November, 2012 13:10
Sales are one thing, and enough have delighted in the s3. The sales scam that is currently out only proves apple sheep are bad losers and cannot accept their fate, which is try a Samsung phone, just once! The simple conclusion to this argument is they have sold more and still do. The iphoney 5 is a great little phone but the s3 just has the fuel with far more extras! Agreeing with Amy, I have completely gone off apple with their heavy handed court tactics which disrupts the competitors, which are making better phones than them. A sign of flagging and putting others down! This type of company needs to disappear from the face of the earth and never to be seen around here ever again. (Jason)
anonymous 9 November, 2012 18:10
S3 is really good phone, samsung could work on the durability though
whack3r24 11 November, 2012 09:21
Stumbled across this...
http://m.imore.com/did-galaxy-s3-outsell-iphone-4s-q3-2012
leoevs44 11 November, 2012 11:54
Amy Green I will stand outside an crapple store with you for weeks not days weeks, think I falling in love,my kind of girl
anonymous 6 December, 2012 07:36
I currently own a Samsung Galaxy S3 as my personal phone and my work gave me a Apple 4S. I love the Samsung S3, I usually forget about the 4S as its resides in my bag. Before I got the S3 I had the S2 which was also a super phone. S2 Vs S3 you can quite clearly see the changes and performance of the S3. Where as the 4S Vs 5, well I leave it there as there has been no manager changes apart from the phone being stretched and over priced.
anonymous 31 March, 2013 08:12
If you want a laugh and breakdown on how and why apple sucks, just go to the American version of Youtube.com and watch iphone vs evo 4g. It is absolutely hilarious!! I just spent a good 20 minutes typing up the best response ever guys and gals and my phone died I am so mad :-( anyway I would love it if you guys from the UK would give me a follow on Twitter I absolutely love the UK and would love to get to know your guys way of life and everyday things Exedra. I promise you all of us Yanks aren't all that bad so please give me a follow I would be forever grateful and maybe I can show you the American way of life if you are curious. Thanks I'll be sure to check out that YouTube video is hilarious. In case you are wondering I am a store manager for 2 of the US wireless carriers AT&T and Sprint wireless so I know all there is to know about Apple and Samsung an Apple sucks for the main reasons that everyone has already covered. Twitter:: Dan_Conklin_713. :)