Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini: Would A Galaxy S3 Ban Affect It?

Samsung's year seems to be getting tougher. After an impressive start helped by a very successful Galaxy S3 launch, the company seems to be on its heels as Apple is intimidating the Korean company in U.S. courtrooms. Apple is even trying to get the Galaxy S3 banned in the United States.

Rumors circulating the internet state that Samsung might be releasing a Galaxy S3 Mini by the end of the year - if this is true, this could put Samsung in a very interesting position.

The Galaxy S3 Mini will simply be a smaller Galaxy S3 and should have a 4-inch screen, which would make it the same size as the iPhone 5. It will also come with a 5-megapixel camera and come out by th end of 2012, according to website SamMobile.

The Galaxy S3 is on Apple's wish-banlist because Apple claims that Samsung makes products that infringe on Apple patents and blatantly look like Apple devices. While I will leave that up to you to decide, Judge Koh from California has already found Samsung guilty of patent infringement, and has fined Samsung $1 billion.

If the Galaxy S3 is banned, what does that mean for the Galaxy S3 Mini?

By most accounts, not much. Apple's banlist that they have submitted does not include the Galaxy S3 Mini in it because, well, it's not even an officially announced device just yet. And even if Apple does succeed in submitting another ban order to courts against the Galaxy S3 Mini, Samsung will most likely have the next line of devices out by the time the courts review the case and the ban is instituted. 

Apple's legal attack against Samsung has also brought some ire from the public, who feel that Apple is simply strong arming the competition out of the mobile markets.

Of course there is the danger that a smaller, 4-inch Galaxy S3 might draw even more comparisons to Apple's iPhone, but as a device that would be a direct competitor in size, that should be expected.

A Galaxy S3 ban could mean that consumers will stay away from some Samsung products for fear that they too could be added to the banlist, but more likely than not, the Galaxy S3 Mini will still offer a competitive alternative to the next-gen iPhone for consumers looking to try out an Android smartphone - if the device is real that is.

Would a ban on the Galaxy S3 change your decision about purchasing the Galaxy S3 Mini?