If you've paid attention to water-cooler talk, the internet, or any of the news in general, then the iPhone 5 must seem like the most popular device on the planet. But you'd be surprised to know that the most popular handset in the United Kingdom for the month of September was the 16GB Samsung Galaxy S3 in blue, according to Uswitch.com's Mobile Tracker.
Keep in mind, the iPhone 5 hit the United Kingdom on September 21, the same date as the United States and Canada. The Galaxy S3 has been out since early summer, and had a three week head-start in the month of September.
The iPhone 5 fell in at fifth place. In second was the 16GB iPhone 4S in black, then came the Samsung Galaxy Ace, and then the Samsung Galaxy S2. Out of the top five, Samsung had three phones, while had two.
By all accounts, however, the iPhone 5 will outpace the Galaxy S3. The new Apple handset broke five million sales in its first weekend after launch. It took the Galaxy S3 100 days to reach 20 million sales - there is a very good chance the iPhone 5 will not only beat, but demolish that record.
The Galaxy S3 overtook the iPhone 4S in the months leading up to the iPhone 5 launch as the best-selling smartphone across a number of carriers in the United States, making Samsung one of the first companies to do so.
So yes, the iPhone 5 still remains the most sought-after handset on the planet. But the chart also proves that in the frenzy leading up to the iPhone 5 launch, people still opted to buy other phones - Samsung ones at that - rather than wait around for the iPhone 5. And that alone, is a good sign for the South Korean-based electronics manufacturer.