We saw quite a few things go down in the mobile world in 2012. There were many launches, like the iPhone 5 and the Windows Surface tablet, which experienced a wide variety of results (success and failure, respectively). Some stories, though, clearly stood out from the rest as the real water cooler moments of 2012. Here are some of the ones we think will make the most impact in the years to come.

1. Apple Versus Samsung

This is easily #1 when taking into account the effect it will have on mobile generations to come. The patent lawsuits started out legitimate but quickly devolved into nonsense (rounded corners patents?). The saga looks to continue into the future as both Apple and Samsung find little things to be angry about.

Of course these lawsuits won’t just have an impact on these two companies. Mobile companies everywhere may try to fight their way into a better flanking position in years to come as they realize they had some miniscule innovation first. Heck, just a few weeks ago the Brazilian company Gradiente started selling their “IPHONE” brand which was trademarked before Apple’s was. This could lead to hurt feelings and more lawsuits, and it surely won’t end there.

2. Apple Maps Fails Miserably

The last ten years has seen Apple reach success after success, so it’s a little strange when they drop the ball as hard as they did with Apple Maps. When Google announced they weren’t releasing Google Maps for the iO6 update, Apple had to do something. Their answer was Apple iO6 Maps, and it was a total disaster.

It has to be said the whole thing was a rush job, as they surely weren’t expecting Google to pull their Maps support. However, they might as well have not released anything at all, especially since the terrible app almost got some people killed. Google finally released Maps for the iO6 and CEO Tim Cook apologized for the debacle.

3. Samsung Beats Nokia

Despite being at war with Apple, Samsung saw another of its battlefronts pay off as they finally overtook Nokia as the #1 cell phone company in the world. Nokia had worn the crown for 14 years before Samsung nabbed it right off their head this year.

Nokia’s firm grasp on the lead slipped this year as their smartphone share plummeted. As their Symbian platform went defunct they had no real backup plan and have scrambled to adapt to the Windows Phone OS. In the meantime, Samsung snuck ahead, and congrats to them. One wonders how long this will last.

4. Phones and Tablets Get Confusing

Imagine you’re brand new to the tablet and smartphone world. You walk into your local shop to grab one for yourself or maybe a loved one for a present. As you look at the various selections, you can’t help but wonder: by size, which is a phone and which is a tablet?

With Apple’s successful launch of the iPad Mini and various smartphones increasing in size, the line between tablet and smartphone is blurring considerably. It doesn’t help that both devices do many of the same tasks; it’s just that one makes calls and the other does not. Since actual phone calls are becoming more of a rarity, that almost doesn’t make much of a difference. 2013 may blur the line even more when it comes to these distinctions.

5. RIM’s Ups and Downs

Blackberry was once at the forefront of all the smartphone buzz, and they held all the marbles for quite a while. These days, though, the tune is much different, and we’re all just waiting to hear the final bell.

However, 2012 was supposed to be a change in form, as the much talked about Blackberry 10 was set to launch. It’s received some excellent pre-buzz and by all accounts will be a great release – if it ever does (will the January date hold?). 2012 came and went and no BB10. 2013 looks to be potentially be the last hurrah for the once-powerful Canadian company.

What was your favorite or most memorable mobile story of 2012?