Apple iPhone vs Samsung Galaxy S III (S3) Release Date 7/9 @ Verizon?

Apple has not been able to stop the release of the Samsung Galaxy S III(S3) in the United States which it claims infringes upon iPhone patents. A judge ruled that she would not be able schedule it.

So what does that mean to the general public?  The carriers will be able to continue with their current release dates (see list of release dates.)

The latest news on the Samsung Galaxy S III front is the Verizon Wireless website is showing "will ship by 7/9." In the past, the ship date is usually the release date or the day before the release date for a smartphone from Verizon Wireless.

UPDATE 6/14/2012 12:08 PM PDT:  Verizon Wireless has changed the "will ship by" date to 7/10 which could mean that it has sold-out of previous stock or someone at Verizon read this article and fixed the date.  Whatever it means the Samsung Galaxy S III will be out in July from Verizon Wireless.

Those who wait for July 9, however, will not be able to buy ala carte data plans but must opt for the "Share Everything" plans that start on June 28.  Consumer groups are not pleased with the Verizon changes in plans.

Currently, the top-seller at Verizon Wireless is not the iPhone but the Droid RAZR MAXX.  The Samsung Galaxy S III is larger than the Droid RAZR MAXX and has 4G LTE network access which is lacking in the iPhone 4S. Sales of the Samsung Galaxy S III are expected to be huge.

The subsidized prices for the 16GB iPhone 4S and Samsung Galaxy S III are both $199.99 from Verizon Wireless, while online discounters such as Amazon.com have reduced the price of the Droid RAZR MAXX to $99 for new customers with a contract.  The price of the phone is minor compared to the monthly costs of voice, data, text and overages.

Last week, Apple tried to stop the Samsung Galaxy S III release date and shipments of HTC smartphone models read more about the patents and theories.