With the run up to Christmas approaching its end, it appears that Samsung’s Galaxy S3 is the most popular buy.

In one way this is not really much of a surprise, considering that since its launch it has been dominating the UK smartphone market. It was also the Olympics official handset. Why is the smartphone so popular?

Seemingly it really does give Apple’s iPhone a run for its money, matching the latter’s features but costing a lot less. It also possesses a number of unique specifications which consumers have found appealing.

Apple does have something to celebrate, however. The iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 are in second and third places respectively.

Some experts are rather surprised at the order of popularity, given that the iPhone 5 was launched only a few months ago; however, it seems the reason is that the contract cost to get your hands on the iPhone 5 is £47 per month, compared to the 4S contract cost of £42.

The difference may be small, but customers are now more discerning. The iPhone 5 essentially offers nothing new, so consumers are remaining loyal to the 4S version.

A telecoms expert at uSwitch.com, Ernest Doku, said: “The affordable price point has kept the Samsung Galaxy S3 at the top of the tree, but whether it will be at the top of the Christmas tree remains to be seen, as price drops for both the 4S and 5 have seen the iPhone quickly gaining ground”.

The LG Nexus and HTC One X are in fourth and fifth places.