Galaxy S III

Samsung’s Galaxy S III was the world’s best-selling smartphone in Q3

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 24, 2016

Following a massive retail and advertising push, Samsung's flagship Galaxy S III handset overtook Apple's iPhone 4S as the world's best-selling smartphone in the third quarter of this year, according to a Strategy Analytics survey. The Samsung phone sold an estimated 1.8 million units more than the iPhone 4S. Samsung's lead will be short-lived as Strategy Analytics estimates that the iPhone 5 will become the world’s #1 smartphone in Q4.

Analysts previously estimated that the S III outsold the iPhone 4S, but only in the United States. Samsung stopped reporting device sales last year for competitive reasons and we also don't know how many of the 18 million S III channel shipments ended up in customers hands. Still, that's a nice accomplishment for Samsung, which earlier in the week confirmed beating its self-imposed goal of shipping 30 million S III units before year's end...

Beating its own estimate, Samsung confirms 30M Galaxy S III sales in 5 months

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 5, 2012

It's a milestone day today. First, Apple announced it sold three million new iPads over the weekend and now South Korea-based Samsung confirmed it beat its own self-imposed estimate by shipping a respectable 30 million units of the flagship Galaxy S III handset. Previously, executives for the company publicly expressed hope to move that much units by year's end. The Galaxy S III launched back in May so the figure amounts to an average of six million S III units a month...

Why a Galaxy S3 owner is moving back to a shiny iPhone

Oliver Haslam ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

If you follow me on any of the social networks on which we all live these days, then you probably know that I sold my iPhone 4S some time ago, and have been living with a Samsung Galaxy S3 ever since. There were brief flirtations with an HTC One X and Galaxy Note along the way, but that Galaxy S3 has been my daily drivers since long before the iPhone 5 was announced.

As that semi-dramatic title may have tipped you off though, I'm on the verge of ditching that Android flagship handset in favor of a shiny new iPhone 5. At least, I will be once I manage to find somewhere that will sell me one! That's a whole different story though, and I digress.

So, having proclaimed the Galaxy S3 to be the best smartphone I'd ever owned just a few short weeks ago, what's changed, and why am I ready to give it up in favor of Apple's latest and greatest?

Samsung dazzles with record Q3 earnings, profits rising faster than Apple’s

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Samsung Electronics, the flagship subsidiary of the Samsung Group and the world's largest technology company by revenues since 2009, reported earnings for the September quarter and the results are staggering. Year-on-year profit rose 91 percent as the company brought home $5.9 billion in net profit on $47.6 billion in sales, a 26 percent increase.

Operating profit margin also climbed to 18.8 percent. Much of the spoils came from Galaxy devices, especially smartphones where Samsung in the third quarter reigned supreme, grabbing twice Apple's market share. Apple yesterday reported $8.2 billion in net profit on $36 billion revenues.

While Samsung has a long way to go to match Apple's profitability, it's been growing at a faster clip: Apple's net profit in the September quarter grew 25 percent versus 91 percent for Samsung. No matter how you look at it, Samsung Electronics, which has headquarters in Suwon, South Korea, is evidently on fire. Does it stand a shot at beating Apple on profitability down the road?

The iPhone 5 surpasses the Galaxy S III in web traffic volume in just 18 days

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 8, 2016

Apple's iPhone 5 in under three weeks has managed to overtake Samsung's flagship Galaxy S III smartphone in web traffic volume, a new survey by research and analytics firm Chitika has found. Let's put this in some perspective. The iPhone 5 went on sale in the United States, Canada and seven major oversea markets on September 21, or just over three weeks ago, rolling out the following week to 22 more countries.

Samsung released its Galaxy S III on May 29, four months ago. By July, the South Korean conglomerate was selling the flagship handset in a whopping 145 countries, shipping 20 million units as of September 6. Apple plans to sell the iPhone 5 in a hundred countries through 240 carriers by year's end and announced opening weekend sales of five million iPhone 5 units...

Samsung launches the compact Galaxy S III Mini with four-inch display

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 16, 2018

In a twist of self-inflicted irony, South Korea-based Samsung today launched a smaller version of its flagship Galaxy S III handset, giving it a four-inch display instead of a whopping 4.8-inch screen found on the original. This is the same company which readily slams Apple in advertising over the iPhone 5's four-inch display which the ads suggest isn't massive enough for people's tastes.

Well, guess what? Looks like four inches is the perfect screen size for the new Galaxy S III Mini. This Jelly Bean-driven smartphone with Samsung's TouchWiz interface inherits much of the Galaxy S III's software and hardware features and appears to be aimed squarely at the iPhone 5...

Low-light shootout: iPhone 5 vs Lumia 920 vs Nokia 808 PureView vs HTC One X vs Galaxy S III

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 26, 2012

The biggest change in the iSight camera found on the back of the iPhone 5 is not its sapphire lens cover, the new panorama mode, faster performance, better video stabilization or crisper photos stemming from enhanced post-processing capabilities provided by the heavily customized, Apple-designed A6 chip.

It's its markedly better performance in low-light situations. The difference between the iPhone 4S and 5 camera becomes readily apparent on photos taken under artificial light, poorly lit scenes or no light at all.

By way of Engadget, we are now able to compare night shots taken on the iPhone 5 against those snapped up using Nokia's newly introduced Lumia 920, Nokia 808 PureView device, HTC's flagship One X and of course, Samsung's Galaxy S III. Who do you think came on top?

More iPhone bashing in two new Galaxy ads

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 26, 2012

You've seen Samsung marketing department's response to the massive iPhone 5 launch. Here's more of the same. Another one right after the break...

Samsung may add iPhone 5 to US patent infringement lawsuit

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

If you thought the legal wrangling between Apple and Samsung was settled with August's patent-infringement jury decision, you were wrong. In a patent infringement lawsuit filed in February in the same San. Jose, Calif. courthouse that awarded Apple $1.05 billion in damages, the two rivals are preparing for a grudge match. Now the Wall Street Journal reports the South Korean smartphone maker "anticipates" it will add the iPhone 5 to the iPhone 4S in its list of allegedly infringing devices.

Samsung airs Galaxy ad ridiculing folks who’d wait in line for the iPhone 5

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 19, 2012

As expected - and right on time ahead of Friday's iPhone 5 launch - Samsung has taken another cheap shot at Apple with a new television commercial. Like last year's anti-Apple campaign, this one again pokes fun of people who would wait in the line for a new iPhone (even if the vast majority of readers in iDB's non-scientific poll said they pre-ordered their device).

It increasingly appears Samsung is attaching its brand name to Apple in the hope of getting the kind of exposure, recognition and reputation Apple is enjoying. Don't take it all to hear - Samsung's ad is funny at times. And to those who beg to differ: we can always laugh at ourselves (here, here and here)...

It doesn’t take a genius indeed

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

You've seen Samsung's anti-iPhone newspaper ad (and a Nokia fan's take) that takes a jab at the incoming iPhone 5.

The advertisement has caused quite a stir with its "it doesn't take a genius" tagline (an obvious reference to Apple Store Geniuses) and a laundry list of features focusing on the bigger display on the Galaxy SIII, twice the RAM and stuff like standard micro-USB plug, expandable SD card storage and swappable battery.

Taking a page from Samsung marketing department's book, an Apple fan created a spoof that goes a long way proving that a spec matrix can often be a double-edged sword...

People to Samsung: we want the iPhone 5

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Perhaps Samsung was overly confident in nice numbers its flagship Galaxy SIII handset's been putting or maybe its silly anti-iPhone newspaper ad has backfired, but the South Korean conglomerate appears to have found itself on the receiving end this time around.

A trivial question posted on Samsung Mobile's official Facebook page has produced a ton of unexpected answers favoring Apple's new iPhone 5. Rubbing salt into wound, an unrelated survey has also revealed that nearly a whopping two-thirds of polled users in Australia are considering to jump ship because they are lusting after the iPhone 5...