galaxy note 3 3
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is now certified by the FCC for all five major U.S. models and other regional networks. Samsung Tomorrow

It is currently an exciting time for the Samsung Galaxy Note series of devices as Samsung President J.K. Shin recently announced that the original Galaxy Note and the Galaxy Note II have sold more than 38 million units since 2011.

Shin spoke at a press conference at the 2013 IFA Expo following the Sept. 4 unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. The third generation of “phablet” device will be available internationally starting Sept. 25 with October release dates for North American and Japanese markets.

Samsung (NASDAQ:SSNLF) expects the Galaxy Note 3 will only add to the impressive sales record of its predecessors; the device is projected to sell 10 million units. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2, which released in 2012, has reportedly sold over 5 million handsets since November; however, that statistic has not been updated since then. Samsung has not released individual statistics for the Samsung Galaxy Note or Galaxy Note 2.

Sale predictions for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 are actually quite modest. With 38 million handsets sold between the Samsung Galaxy Note and Note 2, each device will have easily sold over 10 million handsets independently. Perhaps Samsung aims to be more conservative after overprojections for Samsung Galaxy S4 sales left many investors nervous, which affected Samsung’s stock. While the Galaxy S4 has sold extremely well, starting with over 20 million handsets in its first two months on the market, it has not quite reached the 100 million sales goal that was originally predicted.

Samsung Galaxy Note devices fill a special niche in the smartphone market due to their extra-large displays. The feature has especially helped set the devices apart against aggressive competitors such as the iPhone, known for their significantly smaller displays. Samsung Galaxy Note devices tend to not sell in as large quantities as its Samsung Galaxy S series cousins, but are usually on par with such competitors as LG and HTC. The HTC One has notably sold over 5 million handsets since its March release. The device competed against the Samsung Galaxy S4, which released in late April. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is expected to go against the HTC One mini and the rumored HTC One Max, which is reportedly a phablet in its own right.

Do you think the Samsung Galaxy Note and Galaxy Note 2 sales figures predict a good sales outcome for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3? Let us know in the comments below.

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