Samsung Galaxy S3 Top Smart Phone in Third Quarter

The iPhone 5 is expected to top it, but for now is sharing the market with the iPhone 4S

Samsung's Galaxy S III ousted the iPhone 4S from the top-spot of world's best-selling smartphone in Q3 2012, new research indicates, with vast distribution and hefty operator subsidies credited for its success. 18m of the Samsung smartphones were shipped in the July-September period, according to Strategy Analytics' count, versus 16.2m iPhone 4S models. However, when you factor in the iPhone 5, Apple's duo does pip the Galaxy S III, with a total of 22.2m shipments in those three months.