Samsung estimated to ship 350 million smartphones globally in 2013 for a 40% market share

According to industry sources, Samsung is expected to ship half a billion handsets world-wide in 2013, with 350 million of them being smartphones. The sources claim that this information comes from internal Samsung estimates. With total global smartphone shipments for next year expected to be in the range of 860 million to 900 million, this would leave the Korean manufacturer with a better than 40% share of the world-wide smartphone market in 2013.

The success of the Samsung Galaxy S III helps prop up Samsung's mid-range line

The anonymous industry sources have pointed out how Samsung's strategy of promoting its two flagship models, the Samsung Galaxy S III and the Samsung GALAXY Note II, to prop up its line of mid-range models, has worked out for the company. Unlike Samsung's expanding list of devices, some smartphone producers have been cutting back in order not to dilute their high-end models. In that category you will find HTC, LG, Motorola and RIM.

Other manufacturers are continuing the policy of releasing a wide range of devices including Sony Mobile, ZTE, Huwai and Lenovo. The industry sources note that Sony and Lenovo have yet to roll out the kind of flagship phone that can help "extend the life cycles" of the other models in a manufacturer's lineup.