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Samsung Galaxy S III smashes preorder records in U.K.

Separately, Samsung says that the Galaxy S III design was not changed to get around Apple's lawsuit.

Roger Cheng Former Executive Editor / Head of News
Roger Cheng (he/him/his) was the executive editor in charge of CNET News, managing everything from daily breaking news to in-depth investigative packages. Prior to this, he was on the telecommunications beat and wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade and got his start writing and laying out pages at a local paper in Southern California. He's a devoted Trojan alum and thinks sleep is the perfect -- if unattainable -- hobby for a parent.
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  • SABEW Best in Business 2011 Award for Breaking News Coverage, Eddie Award in 2020 for 5G coverage, runner-up National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award for culture analysis.
Roger Cheng
2 min read
Samsung Galaxy S III
The Samsung Galaxy S III is proving to be a popular draw. Aloysius Low/CNET

If the U.K. is any indication, then Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S III may be even more successful than its predecessors.

The Galaxy S III has already smashed preorder records at Vodafone and retail chain Carphone Warehouse, according to the Inquirer. That includes orders for the previous iteration of Samsung's flagship line, the Galaxy S II.

What began has a solid phone with the original Galaxy S (and its variants around the world) has grown into a juggernaut for Samsung, which has topped Apple as the world's largest smartphone manufacturer and which has a device that's the closest to the iPhone in popularity. Samsung has managed this feat through a combination of slick designs, high-end specifications, wide distribution, and the marketing heft to push the device.

Samsung's success comes as all of the other Android makers struggle with selling their devices, or overcoming recent weakness in sales. HTC, LG, Motorola, and Sony have all dealt with challenges over the past year, something Samsung has managed to avoid.

In the U.S., the Galaxy S III is already available for preorder on Amazon for anyone with an extra $800 to burn.

Samsung has said the U.S. versions of the Galaxy S III will show up in the summer, and with a more reasonable subsidized price.

The excitement surrounding the device rides high despite mixed feelings about the design and feel of the phone. Some wonder if Samsung changed the design to get around the various lawsuits Apple has filed against it (Samsung has retaliated with a number of its own lawsuits).

But a Samsung executive told a number of reporters during the 2012 Digital Forum that the design of the Galaxy S III was part of a five-year plan, and not a sudden turnaround. The Verge translated a report from iNews24.

Watch this: Samsung Galaxy S III is a looker