Samsung emerged as one of the biggest challengers to Apple, shipping more than 300 million mobile phones in 2011, only the second company, after Nokia, to reach this milestone in a 12-month period.
Although Apple’s device continues to sell more than any single Samsung phone, the South Korean company ships more devices overall. Its ability to appeal to multiple markets is its single biggest advantage over Apple, which has a limited reach with its $200 iPhone 4S and even the $100 iPhone 4.
Samsung, which has a diverse lineup of devices, from the low- to high-end, running on both its Bada operating system and Google’s Android platform, also produced the Samsung Galaxy S2, which analysts believe is the iPhone’s number-one competitor. The company said its Galaxy S and S2 smartphones powered sales, selling 10 million units each in 2011.
Next, Samsung will release the Galaxy Nexus on Verizon. The device is the first-ever running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which early reviewers say elevates the platform to the level of Apple’s iOS. If ICS truly bring Android to the next level, the combination of software and hardware Samsung’s high-end devices presents may be enough to outshine Apple in the near future.
The company has also exceeded the performance of its Android phone making competitors. Motorola, HTC and LG have all had varying degrees of success in 2011, but Samsung has separated itself from the pack by launching quality devices in the low-end market and becoming the first stop for customers looking for a high-end device that’s not an iPhone.
Samsung said it is looking to continue its success into 2012, and if the Galaxy S2 can deliver an impressive follow-up performance, it may even leave Apple a little jealous. The company reached the 300 million mark for the first time in the its history, after shipping 1.6 billion mobile phones since it began its cell phone business in 1988.