Samsung has announced that it picked up 3 million preorders worldwide for its Galaxy S II smartphone by the end of last month. Given that the device is expected to launch in 120 countries on over 140 mobile operators, the number of preorders will continue to grow, according to Newswire Korea.

Earlier this month, we reported that the device saw 200,000 preorders in the company's home country of South Korea. The Galaxy S II is already on sale in South Korea and the UK, so we should see early sales numbers very soon.

Samsung's long-term, worldwide ambitions for the Galaxy S II are relatively modest: 10 million units in all of 2011, which is the number it sold of the original Galaxy S in 2010. The sheer number of preorders may, however, force the company to increase its forecast for the phone.

The Galaxy S II will run Android 2.3 (codenamed Gingerbread) and feature a dual-core 1.2GHz processor. It will be the first handset to offer Samsung's Super AMOLED Plus screen technology (4.27-inch display, 800x480 resolution), and is the company's thinnest phone at 8.49mm, with a weight of just 116g. The device also features an 8MP primary camera with 1080p video capture, and a 2MP camera in the front, as well as integrated NFC support on some versions. It also has BlueTooth 3.0+HS and HSPA+ connectivity.

The device's new Live Panel allows you to aggregate web, social networking, and app content to a single customizable home screen. You'll be able to switch between three adjacent home screens by simply pressing and holding on the screen. The phone will come with four new content and entertainment hubs: music, games, e-reading, and social networking.

"There is surging demand for the device from several countries," a Samsung spokesperson said in a statement. "We will do our best to meet the global demand."