The iPhone 5 launched to record sales figures; 5 million units sold to customers in the first three days. Samsung's Galaxy S4 has also launched to strong figures; 10 million units shipped in the first 4 weeks. One of these was a 'disappointment,' yet the other is hailed as a triumph. Seems crazy? Well, maybe it is.

For Samsung, 10 million units shipped makes it their fastest selling smartphone release ever, so for the folks from Korea at least, it is indeed a triumph. But, Apple sold -- not shipped -- 5 million units of the iPhone 5 in the first 3 days.

Phillip Elmer Dewitt of Fortune compares the coverage of both stories and highlight how Apple is covered as doom and gloom, and Samsung as almost jubilant. Check his story out. The difference is remarkable.

Analysts called 6 million units for the iPhone 5 the "worst case scenario" for Apple's opening weekend. And yet, they hit half Samsung's first month sales within three days. We're not going to knock Samsung. 10 million is a lot of phones. But, it does require us to ask the question -- why the disparity in coverage?

Source: CNN Money