By Michael Oleaga / m.oleaga@latinospost.com (staff@latinospost.com) | First Posted: Feb 21, 2013 09:49 AM EST

Apple has topped Samsung to have the best-selling smartphone in the world.

The fourth financial quarter saw Apple rebound to first place, even second place as well, with the launch of the iPhone 5 and a surge in iPhone 4S shipments.

The third quarter originally saw the Samsung Galaxy S3 as king with 18 percent of the global smartphones shipped while the iPhone 4S was second with 16.2 percent. The iPhone 5 did launch during the third quarter but contributed to only six percent.

With enough time for the iPhone 5 to purchased, the iOS 6 smartphone skyrocketed to 27.4 percent of the smartphones shipped worldwide in the fourth quarter. The iPhone 4S was 10 percent behind its successor with 17.4 percent, a slight increase from the fourth quarter.

The Galaxy S3, however, dipped in numbers by 2.6 percent. The third quarter 18 percent slipped to 15.4 percent.

The numbers provided by Strategy Analytics, stated, "Samsung's Galaxy S3 has long proven wildly popular with consumers and operators across North America, Europe and Asia. However, global demand for the Galaxy S3 appears to have peaked and Samsung will surely be keen to introduce its rumored Galaxy S4 upgrade in the coming weeks to fight back against Apple's popular iPhone range."

Strategy Analytics further noted Apple's sales as impressive" due to the iPhone's "premium pricing."

Related Articles:

- iOS vs. Android Market Share: Apple, Android Dominate 4th Quarter with 91 Percent, Combined, But iOS Slips Compared to 2011 4Q

- iOS vs. Android Market Share: China Tops US in Worldwide Active Smartphone and Tablet Market, According to Study

- For the iPhone 5 vs. Samsung Galaxy S3 drop test results, click here.

- Apple vs. Samsung Lawsuit & Patent Infringement Trials - Part 1: Reviewing Apple's First Complaint & The August Billion Dollar Verdict, click here.