Samsung sells 20 million Galaxy S3s, adds new colors

Samsung trots out four new shades of its best-ever selling flagship phone and beats its chest over the way the S3 has sold twice as well as its predecessor.

Jessica Dolcourt Senior Director, Commerce & Content Operations

Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).

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Jessica Dolcourt

Sept. 6, 2012 7:44 a.m. PT

Samsung Galaxy S3 in amber brown. Click to enlarge. Samsung

Samsung clinched the global impact today of its flagship phone today, announcing that its Samsung Galaxy S3 (S III) has sold 20 million units globally in the 100 days since its May release.

Samsung is calling the sales of its most successful smartphone so far "record-setting."

To put things into perspective, Samsung's Galaxy S II sold 5 million units globally in the first 85 days, and 10 million units after five months, Samsung confirmed with CNET. In 100 days, the Samsung Galaxy S3 has already doubled the sales of its predecessor after five months.

Samsung also announced the addition of four new colors: amber brown, garnet red, sapphire black, and titanium gray.

In the U.S., the red shade has been available exclusively for AT&T this summer, but Samsung will begin distributing the garnet hue, along with the other three shades, more broadly throughout markets around the world.

There are no country-specific announcements or carrier-announcements yet, so sit tight.