Apple, Samsung Lawsuit Thrown Out in Germany: Will iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3 Face Patent Disputes?

Apple and Samsung, two leading electronics manufacturers, both took out patent lawsuits against each other. A German court has thrown out these disputes today, according to a report from Reuters. Although the two companies have argued over the slide-to-unlock feature and other patents, their future smartphone releases may not overlap.

The upcoming releases of Apple's iPhone 5 and Samsung's Galaxy S3 are also sure to rival one another. However, based on the rumors and specs circulating the Internet there may not be any patent disputes in site. The biggest feature that the new Samsung product boasts is that it may be the first of its kind with a 3-D screen.

Speculations about the iPhone 5 don't mention any word of a three-dimensional display, but its largest bragging right may be its durability. Rumors say that the iPhone 5 may be the first waterproof smartphone, with the device sporting a nano-coating system both inside and out to prevent water damage. These are two landmark factors that can prove to produce a stiff battle between the competitors in the market.

Another highly anticipated feature to arrive with Samsung's upcoming product is the mobile wallet function, which allows owners to use their phone as a wallet at participating retailers.

The way that contacts are synchronized is also a differing feature-with the iPhone's Internet-based Cloud storage and the S3 requiring external applications to be compatible with non-Google related programs.

However, Apple's iPad 3 does show some similarities to Samsung's Galaxy tablet. A side-by-side comparison shows the aesthetic similarities between the two devices, both with a home screen displaying available apps in horizontal and vertical rows.

Even though the case involving the unlock feature has been thrown out, Apple and Samsung's battle is long from over. The South-Korea based electronics manufacturer is said to appeal the dismissal of its lawsuit, and four other patent infringement cases are still pending in Mannheim court.

Apple and Samsung may have been gridlocked in recent patent disputes, it seems the two manufacturers could be avoiding a similar experience with their new smartphone releases. It is unclear how the products will fare in the market until their release, but the two devices seem to spawn different speculations in the rumor mill.