(Bloomberg) — Samsung Electronics Co. expects the pair of Galaxy S6 smartphones that debut tomorrow to set a sales record, with analysts predicting shipments could reach 55 million this year and help the company overcome a recent surge by Apple Inc.

Demand for the Galaxy S6 Edge, which features a screen stretching down both sides, probably will exceed supply as the company works to manufacture enough flexible screens, Co-Chief Executive Officer Shin Jong Kyun said in Seoul on Thursday. The other model has a traditional flat display and will cost less.
Optimism about the new high-end devices fueled a rally in Samsung shares as investors count on new designs to spark consumer attention and the use of Samsung’s own processor and modem chips to bolster profit margins from components. The new phones will be released in 20 countries Friday — including the U.S., U.K. and Germany — with China sales starting April 17.
“S6 is the best made phone by Samsung in terms of design or specifications,” said Keon Han of Credit Suisse Group AG in Seoul, one of the top-ranked analysts following Samsung. “The market, carriers and even consumers are all on the same page that Samsung’s new phone is different from the past models.”
Han expects the company to sell as many as 50 million units this year, setting the stage for an earnings boost from mobile to components. The analyst, whose recommendations delivered among the top returns to investors according to data compiled by Bloomberg, has an outperform rating on the stock.
Lee didn’t specify a time-frame or sales target. Samsung will ship 49.8 million S6 units this year, according to the average of eight analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. Analysts estimate the company shipped about 38.3 million units of the S5 and more than 65 million of the S3 released in 2012.