( CNN ) -- For years tech pundits have been searching for an `` iPhone '' killer -- a mythical new device that would dethrone Apple 's mighty handset as the most admired or popular smartphone . It may be already here . For the first time , Samsung 's Galaxy S III overtook Apple 's iPhone 4S to become the world 's best-selling smartphone model for the third quarter ( July through September ) of 2012 , according to new research by Strategy Analytics . The Galaxy S III shipped 18 million units worldwide , compared with 16.2 million for the iPhone 4S . That 's 11 % of all smartphones shipped on the planet . Yes , this is the phone in those mocking TV ads that show annoying fanboys and fangirls in a thinly disguised Apple store line , obsessing over their impending purchase while a happy Galaxy S III owner saves a place in line ... for his parents . Released in May , the Android-based Galaxy S III boasts a bigger touchscreen and longer battery life than the iPhone 4S , along with more megapixels in its camera and the ability to run on 4G cellular networks . Some tech sites have rated it the best smartphone on the market . But the Galaxy S III reign atop the sales rankings will likely be short-lived . As Strategy Analytics pointed out , iPhone 4S sales waned in the third quarter as consumers waited for the iPhone 5 , which went on sale September 21 . Apple sold 5 million iPhone 5s that first weekend and is expected to sell many millions more during this holiday shopping season .
Samsung 's Galaxy S III was the world 's best-selling smartphone in the third quarter . Comment: But Apple will likely reclaim the sales crown next quarter with the new iPhone 5 .