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Samsung’s Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II are still hot buys

Updated Dec 19th, 2018 8:40PM EST
Galaxy S III Galaxy Note II Sales

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When a new smartphone from Apple (AAPL) or Samsung (005930) is released, sales generally level off over the following months. The Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II have been an exception, however. Despite rumors of next-generation devices, Samsung’s smartphones have remained “red-hot” and consumers are still eating them up.

“Consumer buying intent for Samsung smart phones has been extraordinary to start the year. Considering the Galaxy S III has been out for several months we’d normally expect a slowdown by now – but it’s still red-hot,” said Paul Carton of 451 Research’s ChangeWave service. “We’re also seeing strong interest in Samsung’s large-screen phone – the Galaxy Note II. Super-sized smart phones are taking the industry by storm in 2013.”

A new survey from 451 Research’s ChangeWave service has found that Samsung’s North American market share is at an all-time high. The survey, which also examined operating systems, also revealed that users of Microsoft’s (MSFT) Windows Phone have reported higher customer satisfaction levels than Android users at 53% and 48%, respectively.

Apple is still the clear leader with a 71% satisfaction rate, although Nokia (NOK) had the highest manufacturer rating of 56%, edging out Samsung by 1 percentage point.

Samsung and Apple continue to outperform the rest of the market when it comes to smartphone sales. One-in-two North American respondents who were planning to purchase a smartphone in the next 90 days said they were interested in an iPhone, a decrease from 71% following the release of the iPhone 5.

In the same time period, the percentage of respondents planning to buy a Samsung smartphone in the next 90 days increased from 13% to 21% — 69% of which were interested in the Galaxy S III and 23% in the Galaxy Note II.

Interestingly enough, more than a quarter of the respondents, or 27%, were interested in a device with a 5-inch or larger display. The trend isn’t seen as a long-term competitive threat to Apple, however.

“With this level of consumer interest, Apple is perfectly capable of producing a large-screen smartphone that’s virtually a tiny tablet – they could call it an ‘iTab’ – and have it on the shelves for the next Holiday season,” Carton explained.

Dan joins the BGR team as the Android Editor, covering all things relating to Google’s premiere operating system. His work has appeared on Fox News, Fox Business and Yahoo News, among other publications. When he isn’t testing the latest devices or apps, he can be found enjoying the sights and sounds of New York City.