Galaxy S3 Helps Samsung Top China's Smartphone Market In 2012

Figures recently leaked from Strategy Analytics and published on the Yonhap indicate that Samsung Electronics sold 30.06 million smartphones in China in 2012 (17.7 percent market share), nearly tripling its sales from just one year prior, when it sold 10.90 million handsets in 2011.

While initial reports indicated that Strategy Analytics had released its figures, the Next Web confirmed that the group never publicly shared this information, but rather that Yonhap somehow obtained a client-only report, which it then shared.

Nevertheless, there has been an ongoing trend showing that Samsung is not only the world's biggest mobile phone maker, but also the world’s largest phone seller.

Another report from Strategy Analytics, published in February revealed that the Korean-based company accounted for 86 percent share of mobile devices in China’s fourth quarter in 2012 alone, according to the Next Web.  As China maintains the largest smartphone market in the world, Samsung has found the perfect place to make its niche as No. 1.

Following the Android-powered electronics giant is Lenovo, with 13.2 percent market share in 2012, and Apple, in third place, with 11 percent market share, according to the leaked report.

In the past year, Nokia has notably fallen from grace: The former top seller in the Chinese market, the company dropped from 29.9 percent to 2011 to just 3.7 percent in 2012; falling to seventh place, behind Huawei (9.9 percent) and Chinese manufacturer Coolpad (9.7 percent).

While in late 2012, Samsung’s Galaxy S3 smartphone became the best and fastest-selling phone in the world, having sold 30 million handsets in five months after its release in May 2012, and overtaking Apple’s iPhone 4S.

Samsung has definitely reaped what it’s sown, as Korean press documents recently revealed that the conglomerate reportedly spent $11 billion on marketing and $10.6 billion on research and development in 2012, having increased its marketing presence by 38 percent from 2011, according to Android Authority.

The company spent approximately three times as much on marketing than Apple, HP and Dell, and slightly more than twice as much than Microsoft in the last year.

Perhaps Samsung will be in step to reach its lofty goal of selling 100 million handsets for its upcoming Galaxy S4 smartphone in 2013.

However, it seems though the Chinese government is none too happy about Samsung’s reign, having publicly objected to the dominance of the Android operating system supposedly being strictly controlled by Google despite being open source, according to ZD Net. The majority of Samsung's most popular smartphones are notably powered by Android.

Google has complained that the amount of forked Android devices available in the country tampers with its profits, as these devices tend to not include Google services or paid content in Google Play app stores. The Next Web reports that Google was considering leaving the country.

But Samsung will likely try and hold on to its No. 1 spot for as long as possible. The company notably unveiled its Galaxy Nexus smartphone at a Mobile Unpacked event that took place in Hong Kong in October 2011. Perhaps that was the catalyst that allowed the Samsung to flourish in China.

It is seemingly now coming after the U.S. market, hosting its Mobile Unpacked event at New York’s Radio City Music Hall on March 14.