Galaxy Note 2 sales to top 20 mln: Samsung

Sales of Samsung Electronics Co.'s latest mobile gadget, the Galaxy Note 2, are likely to be more than two times its previous model, the Galaxy Note 1, a company official said Wednesday.

   "Sales may grow more than two-fold (compared with the previous model)," Shin Jong-kyun, the head of Samsung's IT and mobile unit, was quoted saying in media reports. The Galaxy Note 1, released in November, has sold more than 10 million units.

   Shin was also quoted saying that the Galaxy Note 2 will be released in October as scheduled, denying rumors Samsung may rearrange the release date ahead of the iPhone 5 launch in South Korea.

   Both comments were confirmed by a company spokesman.

   Shin's remarks come as Samsung and Apple Inc. are locked in a heated rivalry to dominate the US$219 billion global smartphone market. The two companies are facing off in courtrooms across four continents, with a Mannheim, Germany court hearing and a preliminary ruling by the U.S. trade watchdog scheduled for Friday (local time).

   The two top smartphone makers are bringing their fight to the market with new product releases. Samsung got off to a head start by unveiling the Galaxy Note 2, a hybrid of smartphone and tablet computer, ahead of the IFA 2012 trade fair late last month.

   Apple is expected to unpack the iPhone 5 at a launching event in San Francisco later in the day. The latest iPhone is expected to hit local shelves in October following a certification process with South Korea's communications watchdog.

source