Samsung trounced iPhone twice over in Q2 smartphones claim analysts

Samsung had an iPhone-squashing Q2 2012, analysts predict, shipping twice as many smartphones in the three month period, though the specter of the iPhone 5 is expected to put a dampener on Korean celebrations. The Galaxy S III helped lead Samsung to a total of 52m smartphones in Q2, Juniper Research estimates, more than double Apple's market-disappointing 26m iPhone sales.

Of course, Samsung's strength is its spread across the smartphone playing field. The Galaxy S III shipped 10m devices itself, but Samsung also has "Galaxy products hitting all price points" Juniper highlights, having "leveraged its global brand strength and the popularity of the Android OS to drive sales of smartphones in all price tiers."

Meanwhile, other players in the smartphone game aren't coming out as shiny as Samsung. RIM shipped 7.4m smartphones in Q2 and Nokia 10.2m, "yet to show any clear indication it is benefitting from the switch to Windows Phone 7, with its hopes riding on Windows 8 [sic]" Juniper suggests. HTC's "early promise" has been stymied by Samsung, while Motorola is described as being "distracted by the Google acquisition" and weak in Western Europe.

In fact, beyond Apple and Samsung, Juniper is most positive about Sony's potential, though critical of its current performance. "Sony should be doing better" Daniel Ashdown, Juniper research analyst suggests, "it, like Samsung, has a global name and the Xperia brand is well-established but its marketing and products have been disappointing so far."

Samsung shouldn't rest on its laurels, the analyst firm warns, though. Apple's next-gen iPhone is expected to arrive in the second half of 2012 and "undoubtedly narrow the gap."