The Samsung Galaxy S5 will first be available on AT&T, says a report from Twitter tipster @evleaks. According to the report, the carrier is testing the device with a GS5 code name. Previously also, AT&T received both the Galaxy S4 and the Note 3 months before the actual release. The rumor that AT&T has started with the testing makes sense considering the rumored release date, which is possibly four months away.
So with the device now just months away, it’s a good time to look at some of the latest rumors and news surrounding the expected features in the highly talked-about device.
The wait will be over soon
Like Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) devices, accurately predicting the release date of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (LON:BC94) (KRX:005930) devices has also been a difficult task. Several reports point to multiple release dates with some suggesting a launch in January and a release in February, while others hint that the device will go into mass production in January with a release between March and April. One of the reports claims that the Galaxy S5 will be unveiled at the World Mobile Conference, which is scheduled for February. The Galaxy S2 was unveiled at the WMC in February 2011, but the device was released two months later, in May. The Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S4 were launched in separate events.
A report from ET News claims that the upcoming Galaxy S5 will hit mass production in January 2014. The high-end handset, according to the report, will sport a metal chassis and a flexible OLED screen, while a second plastic model would be similar to the earlier Galaxy devices. According to the report, production for the Galaxy S5 will hit between 800,000 and 1 million units in January and ramp up to 6 million units in February. The device could then be launched in March or April.
Curved, AMOLED, diamond pixel, too many choices
According to a report from Sam Mobile, which cites a Korean publication, Samsung has started mass production for the 5.25-inch QHD (Quad HD) AMOLED display set for the upcoming Galaxy S5.
The Galaxy S5 is expected to sport a diamond pixel arrangement which was used in the Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy Note 3, says a report from NDTV. According to Sam Mobile, the technology is made up of “green pixels interleaved with alternating red and blue pixels, but with each red and blue pixel shaped like a diamond for increased sharpness and pixel density.” The new pixel feature would enhance the sharpness and pixel density. The report claims that the Galaxy S5 would feature a screen resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels with pixel density of 560 ppi.
A curved design is very much expected in upcoming smartphones, but a recent report from The Korea Herald has almost put an end to those speculations, saying that curvy designs may not be available because of limited production of such screens. Neither of the two most-anticipated devices–the Galaxy S5 and the iPhone 6–may have curved displays similar to the ones in the LG G Flex or the Samsung Galaxy Round. Industry experts reportedly told the publication that supply is even not enough for existing curved smartphones.
A metal Galaxy S5, highly unlikely but…
We’ve already mentioned one of many reports which suggested that Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (LON:BC94) (KRX:005930) will come up with both a metal and plastic option for the Galaxy S5, however, a separate report from DigiTimes claims that the Korean company is working on metal designs for some 2014 smartphones, but not for the Galaxy S5. According to DigiTimes, none of the Taiwanese chassis makers “have started mass production of metal-alloy chassis for Samsung,” which suggests that a metal chassis might be omitted since the device is expected just a few months from now.
Recently in a concept design, the iPhone 6 was shown with a retina scanner; however, a trustworthy source has claimed that the Galaxy S5 might actually be equipped with the smartphone safety technology. A report from ZDNet Korea claimed that Samsung is working on a high-end smartphone with a quad HD (2,560 x 1,440) display and an iris scanner.
Samsung may come up with Tizen-Firefox OS
There are possibilities that Samsung might also make a change to its operating system for the new Galaxy S5. According to IBTimes, the Korean company is expected to offer a Tizen-Firefox OS combo for smartphones releasing in the first half of 2014.
During a HTML5 conference, Samsung Chief Secretary Wonsuk Lee said the company is working on a relationship between Tizen, which is its own OS, and Firefox, as both the platforms are based on HTML5. Building its own OS would help Samsung reduce its dependence on Android. The report claims that entry-level smartphone models would run on Firefox OS, while low and high-end devices would be based on Tizen. Earlier, some reports suggested that Samsung might ditch Android 4.4 KitKat, while other reports claimed that the company may bring in Tizen or Android KitKat.
An improved camera
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (LON:BC94) (KRX:005930) is also believed to be working on in-house camera technology which could feature in the Galaxy S5, says a report from Gotta Be Mobile. As per the report, the ISOCELL would help the camera to “capture more light and retain increased sharpness, boasting superior performance to the backside illuminated, or BSI, sensor technology that’s often utilized by rival Sony in its Exmor imaging sensor.” The technology would help smartphones capture images even in low light without using flash. The ISOCELL tech will put the Galaxy S5 on par with devices like Nokia’s Lumia 920, Lumia 925, and Lumia 1020, the HTC One, the LG G2, the Moto X, and the iPhone 5s.
Other rumored specifications of the Galaxy S5 include a 64-bit Exynos chipset or a Snapdragon chipset; 3GB of RAM, a 16-megapixel camera, and a 4000mAh battery. The highly anticipated device is also believed to be waterproof and dustproof.
As of now, it is too early to pinpoint on the exact features the Samsung has planned for its devices, but given the technological developments we’ve seen this year, it is largely believed that the upcoming device, which will likely go head to head with Apple’s iPhone 6 in 2014, will join the Galaxy Note 3 on shelves and give a tough fight to the likes of the iPhone 5s, the iPhone 5c and HTC’s rumored HTC M8.
