Samsung brought up the rear, as usual, in the handset results season with impressive smartphones sales boosting its third quarter.
The firm expects good performance by its Galaxy family, as well as healthy semiconductor sales, to continue to enhance results in the fourth quarter.
Samsung reported record net profit of $3.98 billion in the quarter, up 17% year-on-year, on revenue of $35.8 billion.
The telecom business unit, which houses handsets and wireless infrastructure, broke the $1 billion barrier in operating profit, up from $845 million a year earlier, on revenues up 15% to $10.38 billion. Its margin was also improved, at 10.2%, compared to 9.9% in Q309.
Samsung's handset volumes were up 19% to 71.4 million, which was also up 12% from the second quarter. Within this total, the Galaxy S smartphone flagship accounted for about 10% of its sales, at 7 million in its first period on the market.
It has shipped with more than 90 carriers worldwide and helped boost Samsung's average selling price by 14%, to $122, by providing a credible open OS smartphone at last.