Samsung has forecast stellar profits for the third-quarter on the back of strong smartphones sales. The forecast has prompted analysts to suggest that the South Korean vendor could top 28 million smartphone sales in the quarter, which is likely to see it overtake Apple to become the world’s largest smartphone vendor.

Reuters reports that Samsung’s forecast for Q3 operating profit of KWR4.2 trillion (US$3.5 billion) smashes even the most bullish analyst predictions. Analysts in a Reuters poll set a consensus forecast of KWR3.4 trillion with the most bullish at KWR3.95 trillion. 

"Samsung's estimates are far better than expected," said Park Jong-min, a fund manager at ING Investment Management. "Its telecommunications business is seen very positive as shipments of smartphones and other high-end handsets expanded."

Samsung’s forecast would mark a 14 percent drop in operating profit from a year ago but up 12 percent from the preceding quarter. It will report full Q3 earnings later this month.

Smartphone sales are expected to compensate for weaknesses in Samsung’s other business lines such as TVs and semiconductors. 

Samsung sold 19 million smartphones in Q2 (when it trailed Apple), but if it posts 28 million sales in Q3 it should take the number one spot and be on track to smash its 60 million sales target for the full year.

The firm’s flagship Android-based phones will continue to be its main driver of sales, say experts, and the firm is also expected to benefit from the lack of a major iPhone upgrade this week by Apple. 

"I previously thought Apple's new iPhone would slow Samsung's handset earnings momentum, but there was no iPhone 5, and the iPhone 4S will not be a burden on Samsung in the fourth quarter," said Ahn Seong-ho, an analyst at Hanwha Securities.