Samsung are said to dethrone arch-enemy Apple in the bitter smartphone race, shipping a whopping 20 million handsets this quarter, according to sources.
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This comes as Apple’s latest iPhone sales figures for the September quarter, announced this week, fell below analyst predictions of 20 million, and were short 3 million on last quarter at 17.03m, although rose 21% on same period 2010.
If Sammy can top 20m sales in Q3, as suggested by NewsCore today, then it has beaten Apple hands down this quarter – although Cupertino flagging phone sales this quarter was due to the ‘rumours’ surrounding a new iPhone 5, it admitted this week.
And if last weekend’s iPhone 4S sales of (4m in just 3 days) is anything to go by, Apple sales may easily top the 20m mark by December quarter close.
Samsung are set to release its Q3 earnings next week and recent earnings guidance indicated a 12% rise compared to the last quarter, suggesting booming smartphone sales.
Read Analysts Rattled As iPhone Sales Dive
Last week, a bruised Samsung announced it was the top selling Aussie smartphone and the overall mobile phone manufacturer by unit sales in August, as indicated by GfK data, ousting rival makers for the first time since 2007.
Galaxy S maker shipped over 19 million units in the second quarter, analyst believe. In July, it announced 5 million sales of 4.3″ S II in 85 days.
This comes as Samsung look to ban iPhone 4S in Australia, in retaliation for Apple going to the courts to block the sale of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 and courts throughout Europe and the US, claiming the Koreans have infinged on intellectual patents and “slavishly copied” its designs.
Samsung’s flagship Android, the Galaxy S II, has not yet launched in the US – and won’t if Apple has anything to do with it.
Read Take That, Apple! Hurt Samsung Claim Galaxy OZ No.1 After Tab Ban
comScore released data indicating Samsung is the top Android handset, ahead of LG and Motorola, while Android is still the numero uno OS with 44%.
“Samsung’s estimates are far better than expected. Its telecommunications business is seen very positive as shipments of smartphones and other high-end handsets expanded” said Park Jong-Min of ING Investment Management, last week.
Just yesterday Samsung and Google announced Nexus Prime on Ice Cream Sandwich, as it looks to steal some of iPhone 4S recent market glory.
