Samsung today announced that its flagship Android smartphone, the Galaxy S III, has sold 20 million units since the device debuted in Europe on May 29 of this year. The company claims that the Galaxy S III is its most successful smartphone ever, and that it has set sales record by generating sales quicker than any previous Galaxy phones. Though the smartphone’s release in the U.S. was stilted and confusing (due to carrier demands and exclusive deals), there is no doubt that U.S. sales are a large part of that 20 million.

“The Galaxy S III has enjoyed tremendous attention and popularity since its launch in May, and we are thrilled with its success,” said JK Shin, president of IT & mobile communications at Samsung. “I would like to express my sincere appreciation to customers who have chosen the Galaxy S III. We will never stop providing the latest smart mobile technologies to help users live a life extraordinary.”

Note that 20 million in unit sales does not mean that 20 million customers worldwide have purchased a Galaxy S III. Rather, it is a measurement of how many of the smartphones Samsung has sold to its customers, who are retailers and wireless carriers.

Samsung also recently announced that the Galaxy S III will soon come in a variety of colors, including “garnet red”, “sapphire black”, “amber brown”, and “titanium grey.”