Samsung Electronics Co., the world's top smartphone maker, on Wednesday started selling the Galaxy Note 2 on its home turf, the latest version of its Galaxy Note lineup, whose sales topped 10 million units worldwide.
Samsung debuted the Galaxy Note 2 at a trade show in Berlin last month. The phablet, a cross between a smartphone and a tablet computer, features larger displays than smartphones but are more portable than tablets.
The 5.5-inch Galaxy Note 2, an upgraded version of the 5.3-inch Galaxy Note, is powered by a quad-core processor and runs on Jelly Bean, the latest version of the Android operating system.
Like the previous Galaxy Note models, it comes with a stylus pen, which enables users to write on the display as if they were writing on paper.
The South Korean version of the Galaxy Note 2 will run on the fourth generation long-term evolution (LTE) network service, and the new phablet will be released in 128 countries as well, Samsung Electronics said.
"The Galaxy Note 2 will continue to help solidify the fame of the Galaxy Note series, and open a new chapter for Samsung's mobile phone history," said JK Shin, the president of the company's IT & Mobile Communications unit.
Earlier, Samsung said sales of the Galaxy Note 2 phablet are likely to be more than two times its previous model.
Shin said sales of its mobile phones will exceed 400 million units this year, higher than its previous target of 370 million.
The market debut of the Galaxy Note 2 in Korea comes before the launch of the new iPhone 5 by Apple Inc.
The latest iPhone is expected to hit local shelves in Korea next month following a certification process with South Korea's communications regulator.
Samsung and Apple Inc. are locked in a heated rivalry to dominate the $219 billion global smartphone market. The two companies are facing off in courtrooms across four continents.
In an Aug. 24 ruling, a South Korean court ruled the two top smartphone makers infringed on each others' patents.
However, a U.S. jury verdict on the same day ordered Samsung to pay $1.05 billion in damages for infringing on six Apple patents, while denying the South Korean firm's claims.
Following the loss, Samsung vowed to step up its fight against Apple. The company said it is mulling adding the iPhone 5 to its patent infringement claim. (Yonhap)