( CNN ) -- Samsung says it expects to make a second quarter profit of US $ 5.9 billion , thanks largely to burgeoning sales of its flagship Galaxy smartphones . The record figure -- a 79 % rise from a year earlier -- follows a remarkable first quarter performance , which saw the South Korean technology giant overtake rivals Apple and Nokia as the world 's biggest phone vendor with 44.5 million handsets sold . Apple 's sales of 35.1 million iPhones in the first quarter helped lead the company to double first quarter profits , while Nokia 's 11.9 million sales January through March was almost half as many as the Finnish firm sold during the same period last year , eroding its smartphone market share to 8.2 % from 23.5 % in 2011 . In May , Samsung released its new Galaxy S III phone in Europe and has seen brisk sales , which are expected to top 10 million units in July , according to the company 's telecoms chief JK Shin . Analysts agree . `` The impact of the Galaxy S III smartphone was maximized thanks to its sole competitor Apple Inc. 's delay in releasing a new product , '' Shinhan Investment Corp. analyst Kim Young-chan said in a report , quoted by South Korea 's Yonhap news agency . `` More than six million units of the latest Galaxy phone have been sold since its rollout in late May , with sales likely to top 25 million units in the second half , '' he added . Kim predicted Samsung would sell a total of 204 million smartphones in 2012 . Apple , meanwhile , has still to set a date for its much-anticipated iPhone 5 -- seen by many as the challenger to the Galaxy S III . The California-based tech behemoth is also locked in a lengthy legal challenge with its Korean rival in the courts , with numerous patent infringement cases pending in over 10 different countries . Apple wins ban on two devices : What it means for you . Last week , a U.S. judge suspended sales of Samsung 's Galaxy Nexus smartphone just days after issuing a similar ruling against its new Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computer . San Jose District Judge Lucy Koh said Apple `` has shown a likelihood of establishing both infringement and validity . '' Samsung is appealing both injunctions . The legal wrangling began in April 2011 , when Apple launched a lawsuit accusing the South Korean company of `` slavishly '' copying the interface and design of the iPhone and iPad in Galaxy smartphones and tablets . Samsung countersued , saying Apple has infringed a number of its wireless patents . Samsung 's results will be announced later this month . CNN 's Kevin Voigt contributed to this report .
Samsung says it expects to make a second quarter profit of US $ 5.9 billion . The tech company has overtaken Apple and Nokia as Korea 's biggest phone supplier . Samsung and Apple are also locked in multiple patent infringement cases .