The Galaxy S3, Samsung Electronics Co.’s flagship smartphone, is sweeping year-end awards given to the “smartphone of the year” by overseas IT media, market watchers said Tuesday.

The Samsung smartphone recently grabbed the “best mobile phone of the year” award from British tech media site Pocket-lint. It also received the “product of the year” prize in British IT media V3’s annual technology awards.

The South Korean tech giant’s Galaxy Note and Galaxy Note 10.1 were also touted as the best business smartphone and the best business tablet, according to V3’s website.

The Galaxy S3 was also awarded by numerous overseas institutions, including the U.S. Consumer Electronics Association and U.S. consumer magazine Consumer Reports.

Meanwhile, data showed the Galaxy S3, which made its global debut in late May, is faring well in the British market despite the availability of the more recently launched iPhone 5.

The Galaxy S3 remained the most popular smartphone in Britain for the seventh straight month in November, according to the data compiled by British consumer review Web site uSwitch.

Apple Inc.’s iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 ranked as the second and third most popular phones, according to uSwitch. (Yonhap News)