Samsung Galaxy S3 Shatters Records Five Months After Release Date Despite Apple's iPhone 5 Launch

Chief of Samsung mobile Shin Jong-kyun predicted sales of the Galaxy S3 would hit 30 million before the year’s end, and he was right. The Korea-based company’s flagship smartphone of 2012 reached that number earlier this week, marking five months after its May release.

Samsung began shipping the Galaxy S3 months before top rivals such as Apple began selling their new smartphones, giving the manufacturer an edge on the competition. The company even poked fun at the sixth-generation iPhone upon its release by launching ads mocking fans for waiting in long lines.

Despite unprecedented anticipation for the iPhone 5, which has been called the biggest smartphone launch in history, Galaxy S3 sales did not falter in the time surrounding Apple’s announcement. From early August to the beginning of October, sales of the Galaxy S3 had seen an average weekly growth of nine percent, according to data from mobile app analytics firm Localytics.

Galaxy S3 sales also jumped by 16 percent between August 21 and 27, and numbers saw another spike from Sept. 11 to the 17. This was just before Apple released its iPhone 5 and just after the company officially unveiled the phone on Sept. 12.

Samsung has said that the Galaxy S3 is selling at a much faster rate than the previous generation Galaxy S2, according to the Associated Press. The Galaxy S2, which was announced a year ago, took 14 months to sell 30 million units. This makes the Galaxy S3 one of the fastest selling smartphones in the world.

The Galaxy-branded device maker also just saw its big smartphone launch of the fall last month when the long-awaited Galaxy Note 2 hit stores. This follow up to the original smartphone-tablet hybrid that launched in early 2012 is projected to sell twice as much as its predecessor, Jong-kyun also said.

The company has seen a fruitful launch with its “phablet” device sequel thus far, as Samsung recently announced that it has topped 3 million sales in just over a month.

It’s this type of success from mobile product launches that has been a significant source of income for the Korean electronics firm. Samsung, who also manufacturers TVs, home appliances and display panels, received nearly 70 percent of its third-quarter operating profit from its mobile division that produces smartphones, cameras and computers.

According to analysts and research firms, the company sold between 56 and 58 million smartphones from July through September, as the AP reports.

Overseas, the Galaxy S3 still appears to be the most popular handset in the United Kingdom. Market tracker uSwitch has revealed statistics from this week that indicate sales of the Galaxy S3 have beaten out Apple’s iPhone 5 and the Galaxy S2.

The blue handset in particular is the most popular model, according to the data. Other runner-ups included Apple’s iPhone 4S and Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2, which placed in fifth.

The Galaxy S3 was officially unveiled in London this spring following a plethora of Internet rumors and speculation. The device comes equipped with a 4.8-inch display and includes features such as Smart Stay, which keeps the screen awake for as long as users are viewing it, missed call and message notification Smart Alert and the Siri-like automated assistant S Voice, among other capabilities.