Samsung gets the better of Apple in smartphone war

The popularity of Samsung's smartphones has hit new heights after research showed it had overtaken sales of the iPhone in the three months to September, yet analysts predicted its joy could be short lived.

Strategy Analytics released data yesterday that showed 27.8 million Samsung handsets were shipped to retailers, equal to a 23.8 per cent market share. It has more than doubled its share since the same time last year. Samsung declined to comment.

Francisco Jeronimo, the research manager for European Mobile Devices for IDC, said: "To rise to the top from where it was a year ago is impressive. It shows the company has focused on the smartphone business and really addressed consumer needs."

The company really made an impact on the market with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy SII, according to Mr Jeronimo. "The SII was a game changer. This was the first phone that could really challenge the iPhone. Customers appreciated they could get a similar phone at a lower price," he said.

The SII, pictured, was launched across Europe and Asia in May, and hit the shelves in the US last month. JK Shin, the head of the group's mobile communications business, revealed this month that the company had sold 30 million Galaxy S and SII handsets. Samsung now sells the most Android smartphones.

Yet Samsung's position is likely to come under threat following the launch of the iPhone 4S. Apple said it had sold 4million in just three days after launch, and the clamour for the devices could well see it reclaim top spot.

It prompted Mr Jeronimo to predcit that Apple would almost certainly have the most devices shipped in the fourth quarter. The number of smartphones shipped hit 117million in the third quarter, 44 per cent higher than a year earlier.