Samsung has today announced its estimated earnings for Q1 2013, and it looks like the Korean electronics giant is set for another record quarter, exceeding Wall Street expectations. The company has forecast a 53% rise in profit to 8.7 trillion won ($7.7 billion) for the three-month period between January and March, driven by smartphone sales.

Given that Samsung clearly likes to follow in Apple’s footsteps, it comes as no surprise to us that it is set to open 1,400 Apple-esque Experience Shops in Best Buy stores throughout the United States.

The Korean company is aiming to give potential customers the opportunity to get their hands on its mobile products and “experience how the devices connect together to enrich their lives” before they decide to purchase them. Specially trained “Samsung Experience Consultants” will also be there to offer post-purchase support.

It’s no secret that Samsung outspends Apple on advertising by a huge margin. Whether those ads are crap or strokes of genius, of course, is a matter of opinion. But dollar for dollar, the truth is clear: Samsung has to spend more money to get its smartphones noticed than Apple does.

Samsung is hoping to break its previous sales records and ship a whopping 500 million smartphones during 2013, according to sources in the Korean company’s supply chain, who have been speaking to DigiTimes.

One display manufacturer in China is said to be shipping approximately 10 million panels per month for Samsung’s entry-level and midrange devices.

A renders and a full set of specifications have surfaced for Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Tab 3 Plus ahead of its official unveiling. The device looks a lot like the new Galaxy Note 8.0, but fits into the Galaxy Tab lineup as a successor to the Galaxy Tab 2.