The S3 is better than the iPhone, and no it isn't because I am a fanboy. I own products made by both, but I chose the S3 over the iPhone because of some of the issues the 5 was/is having, and there were some features the S3 has that the iPhone lacks, such as the S Beam (aka touch to share). At least in phones, Samsung is no longer copying.
Apple always distinguished itself by visuals. The internal hardware of their computers, for instance, is mid-range. They're never cutting edge in the sense of power or specs, but they are cutting edge in the area of design. This is why the Macbook Pro lead the way into what Windows now calls the Ultrabook. Their OSes simply work. They are smooth and you don't generally have the wait times, integration issues, or general clunkiness of Windows.
Much of this comes from a Unix-based OS (OSX), but it also comes from applying consistent design principles better than anyone else.
I'd probably say that Blackberry is the kid thrown out of the classroom and in the hall for bad behavior. ;)