Presenting a realistic challenge for Apple and the iPhone is somewhat of a momentous task these days, but that is exactly what Samsung managed throughout 2011 and the company looks set to continue to do so. In the run up to Christmas, the latest iteration of the iPhone, the 4S, dominated best-sellers lists but was closely tailed by the Samsung Galaxy S2 in spite of the fact that both models are no longer brand new items. It just goes to show that consumers definitely appreciate a non-Apple alternative when looking for a top of the range smartphone.
The smartphone market as a whole expanded exponentially in 2011, with ownership of one of these high end devices increasing by 46% between February 2010 and August 2011. When it came to Christmas and even more of the population wanted one, the iPhone 4S and the Samsung Galaxy S2 were their go-to gadgets. Having missed out on the top spot by a small margin, the Galaxy S2 nevertheless topped the list of best-selling Android phones, beating rival company RIM whose Blackberry models featured lower down and even besting its more advanced sister smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.
Although Apple did eventually scrape the number one spot, it was the first time in months that sales of the iPhone 4S were greater than that of the S2. It was the holiday rush that took Apple over the edge, but the Galaxy S2 was the phone that topped charts for the majority of 2011 (beating out older iPhone models and then even the 4S when it was released in October). The Financial Times has reported that sales of the S2 were phenomenal, and it marks a great start for Samsung to 2012. Perhaps this will be the year that the Android-running phone manufacturers overtake Apple once and for all.
