Without any question, the two most anticipated smartphones set to be released in 2012 are Apple’s iPhone 5 and Samsung’s Galaxy S3. And with the expected release dates still some time away, most of the talk is centered on each handset’s speculated main features. Well, both phones may have something in common once released, and that is waterproofing courtesy of Liquipel.

If this rumored feature will indeed be present in both phones, this means users no longer have to panic and worry about repair or replacement when their phones come in contact with water. Liquipel is a type of coating that makes devices less likely to sustain water damage, and is said to be so effective that devices coated with it can even be cleaned quickly with running water. And that would include both the Galaxy S3 and iPhone 5 – more and more tech sites are reporting this new and exciting feature, though at this point there is nothing to confirm things.

That said, Liquipel may be effective in protecting handsets against brief brushes with danger upon water contact, but this waterproofing agent can’t protect against all types of water damage.

Extended dips may still damage a phone, even with the coating present, so it is still much advisable to treat Liquipel-coated phones with as much care as possible.

However, any form of protection against accidents is better than no protection at all, and Liquipel sounds like a promising innovation that should benefit smartphone users in the long run.