Samsung sells 30M Galaxy S phones, gets no respect
The company's smartphones are hot, no question--but they're still overshadowed by the iPhone 4S.
Apple isn't the only company touting strong smartphone sales today.
Samsung announced this morning that it has sold 30 million Galaxy S and Galaxy S II smartphones worldwide since the line's launch in 2010. According to the company, it has sold nearly 20 million Galaxy S units, making that handset the fastest-selling smartphone it has ever launched. Sales of the Galaxy S II have reached more than 10 million since its launch earlier this year, the company said.
Samsung's Galaxy S and Galaxy S II are two of the more impressive Android-based smartphones on the market. The Galaxy S 4G, for example, earned four stars out of five from CNET's reviews team. CNET's Bonnie Cha, who reviewed the handset, called the device "fantastic." It was a similar story for the Galaxy S II, which Cha also gave four stars, calling it one of the market's top Android smartphones.
But even with all that and their sales success, the devices are still in the shadow of Apple's iPhone.
• Samsung tries to stop iPhone 4S sales in Australia
• Apple sells 4 million iPhone 4S units in first weekend
• CNET's review of the Samsung Galaxy S II
After Samsung announced Galaxy S sales today, Apple said that it sold 4 million iPhone 4S units over the weekend, shattering the sales record held by the iPhone 4 when 1.7 million units of that device were sold during its first weekend of availability. That news comes just a few months after Apple announced that it sold more than 20 million iPhone units in the three-month period ended June 25.
However, at least in Japan and Australia, Samsung is trying to stop Apple's iPhone 4S sales from going any higher. The company today filed injunction requests in Japan and Australia, arguing that Apple's new handset violates patents it holds related to wireless technology and user-interface designs. So far, Apple has not responded to those lawsuits.