The South Korean tech giant Samsung recently released its flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S3, a device that has appealed to users and tech experts alike and challenged rival Apple's market share. On the other hand, the much-awaited Apple iPhone 5's purported release date is just around the corner. These two smartphones are expected to be similar in many ways.

Processor
Samsung's flagship model, Galaxy S3, runs on a quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex A9 processor fitted on Exynos 4 Quad chipset. Chances are high that Apple's next-gen iPhone will come with a quad-core processor as well.

Big Displays
Apple's 3.5-inch screen on the current iPhone is smaller than the screen of other smartphones on offer. The Galaxy S3 sports a 4.8-inch display. However, rumors indicate that the iPhone 5 will have a 4-inch display to keep up in the screen-size race.

Thinner Design
Mobility is key in the smartphone market and both Samsung and Apple master this aspect of their devices. Samsung Galaxy S3 is 8.6mm thick and weighs 133 grams. If the rumors about the alleged unibody design of the iPhone 5 turn out to be true, then the smartphone will be just 7.6mm thick, making it the thinnest and the lightest iPhone ever.

Improved Software
Galaxy S3 runs on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) with Samsung's TouchWiz software. The users will be expecting the Galaxy S3 to be upgraded to Android's Jelly Bean soon. Apple's iPhone 5 will likely launch with the latest iOS 6, which means that its software will be much better than the iOS 5 present in the current iPhones.

Hardcore Glass
The Galaxy S3 ships with scratch-resistant glass, decreasing the probabilities of damage to the device. Gorilla Glass 2 is an anticipated addition to the iPhone 5, which will enhance that device's overall durability.

Camera
The Galaxy S3 sports an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera. The current iPhone also features an 8-megapixel camera. Rumors hint that the iPhone 5 will include the same camera specs as that in iPhone 4S.

Near-Field Communication (NFC)
The Galaxy S3 comes with NFC, allowing users to make mobile payments from their devices. The technology also allows for transferring data from one device to another. Apple's iPhone 5 is also expected to support NFC.