Samsung Electronics has issued a better-than-expected profit forecast for the third quarter as its handset business helped to offset¹ falling demand for TVs and computer chips.

三星电子对2011年第三季度利润预测持乐观态度，因其手机业务部的增长抵消了电视和电脑芯片需求的下跌。

Samsung said it expected an operating profit of 4.2tn won ($3.5bn; £2.3bn) a 14% dip from a year earlier, but better than market projections² of 3.5tn won.

Compared with the previous quarter, the projected profit is up 12%.

Samsung is the world's second-largest maker³ of mobile phones.

"Its telecommunications business is seen very positive as shipments of smartphones and other high-end handsets expanded," said Park Jong-Min of ING Investment Management.

Advantage Samsung?

Analysts⁴ said they expected Samsung's handset business to keep growing robustly⁵, not least due to the Apple's decision to upgrade its existing model of iPhone4 with new features and technology, rather than launch a new version.

Apple had been expected to launch an iPhone5 at a media event held earlier this week.

"Given Apple's relatively⁶ unchanged new iPhone, Samsung will have the opportunity to eat into Apple's market share with its hardware build-up and growing software power until next year," said Jang In-Beom of Bookook Securities.

Samsung has also been growing its presence in the tablet PC market.

Last month the Korean electronics manufacturer announced that sales of the Samsung GALAXY⁷ S II had crossed the 10 million mark, doubling from five million in just eight weeks.