Samsung surges past Apple in smartphone sales
The new Android, with Ice Cream Sandwich software, was introduced in October as the iPhone 4S’s latest competition.
Samsung has won the title of the world's leader in smartphone sales, selling more than 27.8 million smartphones globally in the third quarter of 2011, reports Wired Magazine.
The Korean company passed both Apple and Nokia in sheer number of shipments, up 44 percent from last quarter, and four times as many sales as last year, according to Reuters. Samsung's smartphone lines make up for 60 percent of the company's profit.
In comparison, Apple sold 17.1 million iPhones and Nokia Corp. — still the world's leader in mobile phone sales — shipped out 16.8 million smartphones, reports News 24.
According to the Times of India, analysts say these numbers do not reflect Apple losing its edge, since the iPhone 4S arrived after the end of the third quarter, and many people waited to buy their iPhones until the new model's release earlier this month. Apple reported selling more than 4 million new iPhones in its first weekend, but those numbers are not reflected this quarter.
Meanwhile, the court battle between Samsung and Apple over their respective tablets continues. The Australian reports that the efforts to speed up a settlement in the patent dispute are being thwarted by both companies' reluctance to share sensitive information about their products.
More from GlobalPost: Android Ice Cream Sandwich introduced by Samsung
The World is an independent newsroom. We’re not funded by billionaires; instead, we rely on readers and listeners like you. As a listener, you’re a crucial part of our team and our global community. If you’ve been thinking about making a donation, this is the best time to do it. Your support is vital to running our nonprofit newsroom, and we can’t do this work without you. All donations between now and June 30 will be matched 2:1. Will you help keep our newsroom on strong footing by giving to The World?