Samsung Electronics and Apple, the two leaders of the global smart phone industry, shift the focus of their competition to new materials.

According to industry sources, the next flagship phones of the companies are expected to adopt unprecedented materials for their main bodies, that is, ceramic for the Galaxy S3 and liquid metal for iPhone5, both being thin, light and highly resistant to external impacts. The new phase of the rivalry is because neither one of them can get a decisive edge over the other solely with its OS and AP specifications, features or design.

The Galaxy S3, scheduled to be unveiled in London in May 3, is known to have a ceramic main body. The material is made by applying heat to a non-metallic inorganic substance. High-tech ceramic using silicon nitride is extremely light and comfortable to grip.

In the meantime, iPhone5 is likely to take liquid metal, an alloy of zirconium, titanium, nickel, copper and so forth having an outer surface smooth like liquid. The new iPhone is expected to make its debut at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco in June.