Samsung Galaxy S III smashes records in UK

If the U.K. is any indication, then Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S III may be even more successful than its predecessors. The Galaxy S III has already smashed pre-order records at Vodafone and retail chain Carphone Warehouse, according to the Inquirer. That includes orders for the previous iteration of Samsung's flagship line, the Galaxy S II. What began has a solid phone with the original Galaxy S (and its variants around the world) has grown into a juggernaut for Samsung, which has topped Apple as the world's largest smartphone manufacturer and has a device that's the closest to the iPhone in popularity. Samsung has managed this feat through a combination of slick designs, high-end specifications, wide distribution, and the marketing heft to back the device up. Samsung's success comes as all of the other Android makers struggle with selling their devices, or overcoming recent weakness in sales. HTC, LG, Motorola, and Sony have all dealt with challenges over the past year, something Samsung has managed to avoid. In the U.S., the Galaxy S III is already available for pre-order on Amazon for anyone with an extra $800 to burn. Samsung has said the U.S. versions of the Galaxy S III will show up in the summer, when they will have a more reasonable subsidized price. The excitement of the device rides high despite mixed feelings about the design and feel of the phone. Some wonder if Samsung changed the design to get around the various lawsuits Apple has filed against it (Samsung has retaliated with a number of its own lawsuits). But a Samsung executive told a number of reporters during the 2012 Digital Forum that the design of the Galaxy S III was part of a five-year plan, and not a sudden turnaround. The Verge translated a report from iNews24.