It seemed that the Samsung Galaxy S3 was dead. After him the Galaxy Note 2, the LG Optimus G, the iPhone 5 and even Nexus 4However, he is resisting all of these attacks like a wild boar. The latest data places it as a bestseller in the United Kingdom, for the seventh consecutive month. This is striking, since in Europe, the United Kingdom has always been heavily dominated by Apple, and specifically by its smartphone, the iPhone.
These figures are truly positive. The United Kingdom is the most American region in all of Europe. It's the location Apple has chosen to host the press at its official European presentations. Without a doubt, they have always dominated there. However, since the Samsung Galaxy S3 was launched, everything changed. The South Korean company knew how to attack the old continent, and it was by attacking where they had the least ground, and doing it in the most brutal way possible. They managed to become official sponsors of the London Olympic Games, and placed the Galaxy S3 as the smartphone of the event.
With all this, it has managed to make its flagship the best-selling product for the seventh consecutive month, surpassing the iPhone 5, which seemed like Apple's only hope of regaining its dominance in the British country. In reality, it's not the best-selling smartphone as such. It's the most popular, something that's estimated based on reservations, final purchases, and internet searches for smartphones. The most curious thing is that the iPhone 5 It is not even the second, it is the third, since its predecessor, the iPhone 4S, with its reduced price, it gets ahead. The quartet is closed on Galaxy S2, so it is clear that the British country is well dominated by the two giants on the world scene. In fifth place, and far from the rest, is the Nexus 4, which is the only one that threatens this total domination of the two intractable ones.
The analysis is performed by uSwitch, and one more month, it is surprising, given that Apple is losing ground in the UK, and it could be really hard to catch up if they don't take off a bit with some really big releases.
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From bestseller to recommended in-store: the role of British retail
In addition to the uSwitch ranking, a Informa Telecoms & Media study revealed that in British chains such as John Lewis, Everything Everywhere, O2, Maplin, PC World and Carphone Warehouse, sellers most frequently recommended the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 compared to other alternatives. The iPhone 5 was only prominently suggested in two of the eight major retailers surveyed, a sign that, at the counter, Samsung achieved greater prescription. Although Apple and Samsung were neck and neck in signage and posters, the human factor leaned towards the S3, something that some attribute to commission policies and internal objectives.
How uSwitch measures popularity is not just about sales
The uSwitch Index weights reservations, final purchases and online searchesThis explains why the Galaxy S3 was able to lead the rankings even when Apple placed several iPhones in the top 10: attractive price of the iPhone 4S, availability, and the hype surrounding the S3 generated sustained demand. In some waves, five Apple devices They occupied prominent positions, but the summit was still tinged with Samsung blue and, curiously, Windows Phone did not appear in that top, with Sony and HTC as the other brands present.
Galaxy S3 vs iPhone 5: Technical Keys That Tipped the Balance
The Galaxy S3 opted for a 4,8-inch Super AMOLED display (HD 1280 Ă— 720, PenTile matrix), compared to the iPhone 4's 5-inch IPS panel (1136 Ă— 640). Although the iPhone manages to higher pixel density, the larger form factor of the S3 offered clear advantages in video, browsing and gaming. In terms of power, the S3 featured a Exynos Quad 4 with 1 GB of RAM, while the iPhone 5 debuted the Apple A6 dual-core and 1GB RAM; in real-world use both fly, but the quad-core and 2.100 mAh battery The S3 offered more margin in calls and sleep, in addition to removable battery and microSD up to 64 GB, two highly valued purchasing factors.
In cameras, both with 8 MP and 1080p video, the S3 provided more manual controls and modes (burst, shooting while recording, effects), along with star features of the Samsung ecosystem such as Smart Stay (the screen remains active if you look at it), S Beam/Share Shot y NFC to share with a tap. In connectivity, the iPhone 5 debuted Lightning and elevated its multimedia experience, while the S3 remained faithful to microUSB and MHL to HDMI, providing universal accessories.
Benchmarks, software and service
In type tests Geekbench, they came to see each other very similar marks between iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3 under Android Ice Cream Sandwich, with a clear improvement for the S3 when upgrading to Jelly Bean (Project Butter smoothed out animations and response.) In software, iOS shone for its app ecosystem and support, while the S3 added the layers of TouchWiz with smart gestures and productivity utilities like AllShare.
Another differential angle was the After-sales service: Apple already had a mature in-store support network, and Samsung began to push advanced services of attention in key markets, bridging the gap in user experience.
Marketing and availability: the showcase effect
The visibility of the Galaxy S3 in London Thanks to Olympic sponsorship, campaigns with operators and appearances in large stores, it was given a showcase power difficult to match. In parallel, financial reports spoke of stellar quarters for Samsung and warned of the maturity of the market in the West, pushing to compete more strongly in the channel and in the first line of seller recommendation.
Finally, we must consider the context: popularity charts in the United Kingdom even placed the Galaxy S3 above iPhone 5 and even of iPhone 4S, with the Galaxy S2 still very current and the Nexus 4 emerging as a disruptive alternative. Meanwhile, on a global scale, Samsung reported figures of tens of millions of S3 In its first months, consolidating an adoption phenomenon that was reflected, above all, in Europe.
Cross-referencing data uSwitch, retail studies and technical comparisons draws a clear pattern: a large screen, competent battery life, and instant sharing features made the Galaxy S3 the favorite of the British public for months, while Apple maintained a very solid base with several iPhones at the top of the rankings. A chess match in which Samsung's winning move was as simple as it was effective: show more, share more, and sell where it really matters: in the store.
