Samsung sells 5M Galaxy Note II 'phablets' in two months

The combination smartphone-tablet Samsung Galaxy Note II has proven more popular than analysts had expected.

Samsung has sold five million of the so-called "phablet" mobile devices worldwide in two months, the South Korean company said in a statement on Monday.

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note II device in the US in late October.

By comparison, it took three months for the original Galaxy Note to reach the 3 million sales mark.

Samsung, the largest smartphone and mobile phone maker in the world, has driven growth partly through sales partnerships with 260 wireless carriers around the globe.

On 5 November, Samsung said it had sold 30 million Galaxy S 3 smartphones in its first five months on the market, showing that the 4.8-in. form factor of the S 3 is still more popular than the 5.5-in. Note II.

The Galaxy Note 2 also includes a digital stylus for use on its touchscreen.

Some analysts have been uncertain about the sales potential for both Note devices because they considered a 7-in. tablet form factor the smallest to be successful for viewing content.

At the same time, analysts acknowledge that Samsung seems to have tapped into a sizeable market with a Note device that merges the worlds of smartphones and tablets.

"The Note form factor works very well for many users who don't need a device that fits inside a pocket," said Jack Gold, an analyst at J. Gold Associates. "The 5.5-in. screen is a great size for web surfing and videos. I even use it as a book reader and it fits in my shirt pocket pretty well."

As a large manufacturer, Samsung has shown a willingness to try out multiple mobile deviced form factors, analysts said. The company doesn't appear to be willing to sacrifice any potential sales for in-between sizes, analysts added.

"The Note strikes a good balance between smartphone and something more," Gold said. "I expect the Note-class device to continue to succeed in the market although it's not going to appeal to everyone. And that's OK."