Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S4 Android smartphone has already surpassed ten million units shipped according to the South Korean electronics firm. This sales performance easily outpaces all previous Galaxy S phones, we are told. Taiwanese rival HTC also has a great success on its hands with its top-of-the-range handset, the HTC One. An anonymous HTC exec told the WSJ that this smartphone had already sold about five million units.
Samsung’s S4 success
With ten million or more units shipped in less than a month Samsung’s Galaxy S4 is the best performing Galaxy S to date. Heralding the new figures Samsung said “Sales of the Galaxy S III reached the 10 million mark 50 days after its launch in 2012, while the Galaxy S II took five months and the Galaxy S seven months to reach the same milestone”.
Analysts predict the pace of sales should be maintained until Q3, with an estimated 20 million sales in the second quarter and 30 million sales in the third quarter. What happens after that? Mark Newman, a senior analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein, said “We believe the S4 sales will be robust at least until the next iPhone is released”. It all depends upon what Apple can pull out of the bag. Last year Apple’s innovation, to produce a longer iPhone 4S and brand it as the iPhone 5, didn’t really put a stop to the Samsung Galaxy S3 rollercoaster.
Apple aims at Galaxy S4 with Siri lawsuit
Meanwhile the Japan Times reports today that Apple is seeking to include the Samsung Galaxy S4 in the list of devices in a patent dispute involving the Siri personal assistant software.
HTC One sells well
The HTC One is also doing very well, enjoying great demand and sales, where supplies are sufficient. An anonymous executive from HTC speaking to the WSJ said that the HTC One had already sold around five million of these flagship Android handsets.
“Orders are pretty good so far and are still more than what we can supply… This is partly due to the shortage of components. When the issue is resolved next month, we will have a better idea if it’s doing really well or not.” The source told the WSJ.
HTC One Google Edition
Sources have told reporters at Geek.com that HTC is “considering a stock Android variant of the One for release in the US”. Also the launch is supposed to be “imminent” so you won’t need to wait long to see if this rumour becomes reality. With the manufacturing of the HTC One being ramped up to double production very shortly this may have something to do with those plans. Russell Holly, the reporter behind this Geek story, was first to inform the masses about the Galaxy S4 Google Edition.
HTC First flop
The HTC First - Facebook phone - will not be launched in the UK due to “customer feedback” of the devices sold in the US. Engadget says this was Facebook’s decision rather than HTC’s. The Facebook Home “experience” will be refined and improved over the coming months. A statement from EE, who previously had the HTC First smartphone available for pre-order, hinted that a rehashed FB phone would come along in the future.
