Samsung Galaxy S3 tops iPhone 5 to remain UK's most popular handset

Samsung Galaxy S3 tops iPhone 5 to remain UK's most popular handset

The Samsung Galaxy S3 has retained its crown as the UK’s most popular smartphone for the sixth consecutive month, seeing off stiff competition from Apple’s recently released iPhone 5.

Despite the iPhone 5 shifting a staggering 5 million units during its opening three days on sale and with Apple increasing its share of the smartphone market, narrowing the gap on Google’s Android OS during the past 12 months, figures compiled by the latest uSwitch Mobile Tracker have revealed that the Samsung Galaxy S3 once again proved more popular than the iPhnoe 5 for the past month.

Having seen off the newly released iPhone 5 to retain its place as the UK’s most popular smartphone for September, the Samsung Galaxy S3 has once again toppled the presumed unbeatable iPhone 5 for October, the latest Apple handset’s first full month on sale.

“The iPhone 5 has certainly grabbed the attention of consumers and has flown up the Tracker to secure the second place spot for October,” uSwitch telecoms expert Ernest Doku said on the latest figures. He added: “Competitive pay monthly price points and the strong feature set of the Galaxy S3 has kept Samsung’s flagship handset one step ahead.”

Adding to the ongoing and bitter Apple vs Samsung rivalry, the latest figures, which are based on live searches, pre-orders and pay monthly sales, have revealed that despite its ageing nature, the Samsung Galaxy S2 was the UK’s third most popular handset for October, sandwiching the iPhone 5 between two generations of its closest rival.
Regaining some ground for Apple, the iPhone 4S remained popular with the British public despite its replacements’ arrival, lining up fourth in the uSwitch chart, ahead of the Sony Xperia U in fifth. With just two new entries fighting their way into the top 10 during October, the oversized Samsung Galaxy Note 2 entered the fray in sixth whilst the Sony Xperia T capitalised on its billing as James Bond’s smartphone of choice to join the mix in eighth position.

Helping Samsung dominate the top 10 chart with four individual entries, the Samsung Galaxy Ace lined up in seventh whilst the HTC One X and Nokia Lumia 610 rounded out the top 10 in spots nine and ten respectively.
With today’s UK release of the first Windows Phone 8 packing handsets such as the HTC 8X, Doku has suggested that Microsoft’s revamped operating system could shake up the smartphone charts heading into November and then the lucrative Christmas period.

“The real excitement ahead of Xmas is the launch of Windows Phone 8 and new offerings from Samsung, HTC and Nokia, all aiming to make an impact off the back of a huge Microsoft marketing campaign,” Doku said. “What is in no question is that the pieces are coming into place for what will be an incredibly exciting winter for smartphone fans.”