Perfectly timed to coincide with the rash of new handsets being unveiled by Nokia, Motorola and – in a matter of days – Apple, Samsung has proclaimed its Galaxy S III a record breaker.

The latest numbers released by the Korean giant peg the handset at 20 million units sold. Said milestone was passed after just 100 days on sale.

Out of this world

As such, the Galaxy S III is Samsung's "most successful smartphone to date" - despite the prospect of a sales ban in the US weighing on its shoulders.

"The Galaxy S III has enjoyed tremendous attention and popularity since its launch in May, and we are thrilled with its success," said president JK Shin.

"I would like to express my sincere appreciation to customers who have chosen the Galaxy S III. We will never stop providing the latest smart mobile technologies to help users live a life extraordinary."

Despite such success, analysts predict sales of Apple's forthcoming iPhone 5 could top 10 million within its first week due to pent up demand.

[source: Samsung]