The popularity of the Samsung Galaxy S3 does not appear to be relenting. Research has found that it is the fastest selling phone on pre-order so far of any other comparable device.

The news comes from Carphone Warehouse, which says that over 800 shops in its chain are gearing up to stock the smartphone. It officially goes on sale on 29^th May.

Graham Stapleton, Chief Commercial Officer at Carphone Warehouse, said: “Pre-order demand for the new Galaxy S3 has surpassed expectations since the handset was first unveiled two weeks ago. The first 24 hours alone saw thousands placing their pre-order at Carphone Warehouse.”

Moreover, there are reports that the Korean firm is manufacturing three million devices ready for the launch at the end of the month.

Samsung is also now said to be the largest mobile phone company in the world. It has taken top spot from Nokia, which has seen its fortunes crash over the last couple of years.

Apple also appears to have overtaken the Finnish outfit, as rumours suggest that the iPhone 4S was pre-ordered over one million times when it was launched. No doubt Apple will hope to better this when the iPhone 5 is released in the autumn, which is the expected launch date.

It is the Galaxy S3’s time at the moment. Mr Stapleton added: “We’re gearing up for an exceptionally busy launch day at the end of the month as the handset lands on shelves at our stores across the UK.”