Samsung smartphone sales boosted by adversity

Research from analyst Localytics shows spike in sales after Apple patent verdict and iPhone5 launch

Sales of Samsung's Galaxy S3 smartphone were actually boosted by its recent legal spat with arch rival Apple, research has revealed.

Mobile app analytics and marketing firm Localytics revealed that despite the $1bn (£619m) settlement Samsung was ordered to pay Apple, and its ongoing patent battle in 10 countries, its Android device saw average growth of nine per cent in new devices each week since 1 August.

On top of that, significant spikes in Galaxy S3 adoption happened after the Apple lawsuit verdict and the release of the iPhone 5 last month.

In its research, Localytics hinted that there could be a swing towards more mobile ambivalence on the part of buyers.

"A portion of smartphone users appear less tied to a particular operating system, instead comparing the full package of device, mobile network and available apps before choosing what to buy," it said.

"This not only creates new opportunities for Android device manufacturers, but also new Windows 8 devices."