Samsung's net income rose to a record 7.04tn won ($6.6bn, or £4.2bn), which is up from 4.01tn won over the same period last year.  Its mobile profits more than doubled over the same period, too. 

63 million smartphones sold

Samsung didn't say how many smartphones it sold in the last three months of 2012, but analysts estimate it was around 63 million. 

The Korean mobile maker also has big plans for its much-rumoured Galaxy S4 smartphone.  It's reportedly ordered 10 million components for the handset, hinting it reckons it can sell that many every month.  Which would be quite some feat. 

The S3 has sold more than 40 million units worldwide, and Samsung is widely expected to repeat this success with the S4.