Samsung Galaxy S 5 Debut Predicted for February: 10 Things to Look For

by Don Reisinger

This one can go either way. Depending on the rumor, the Galaxy S 5 will launch as early as February or not until late-April. The consensus, however, due mainly to Samsung’s sticking to its release schedule in the past, puts the Galaxy S 5 shipment in early spring.

The rumor mill is nearly unanimous on this: Samsung is going with a metal unibody design with the Galaxy S 5. The move is a major departure for Samsung, which has stayed away from unibody construction in the Galaxy S line. Recently, leaked images have hit the Web showing what might be the device’s design. If so, it’ll be awfully pretty.

Don’t expect the Galaxy S 5 to be smaller than the S 4. No, the recent chassis leaks on the Web have shown that the smartphone could come with a screen size of 5.25 inches, making it just a bit bigger than the 5-inch option in the Galaxy S 4. Samsung loves its big devices.

It should be interesting to see what processor Samsung goes with in the Galaxy S 5. For a while, we’ve been hearing that the handset will feature the 64-bit Exynos chip, but more recently, some reports have said that Samsung has decided to go with the Snapdragon 800. Either way, the device will be a powerhouse.

Samsung’s idea of delivering better performance in the Galaxy S 5 will be perfectly illustrated in the device’s 3GB of RAM. In addition, Samsung is expected to bundle a 4,000mAh battery, which should go a long way in providing more battery life to support heavy daily use. All in all, the Galaxy S 5 is shaping up to be a nice offering.

There’s debate over the security features coming to the Galaxy S 5. A recent report suggested that the Galaxy 5S would launch with a TouchID-like fingerprint sensor. Others have said that the handset will employ a retina scan to ensure security. Either way, it appears Samsung is moving into a new security technology.

The Galaxy S 5 is reportedly going to feature a 2K display. What that means is the device will be well over 500 pixels per inch in density and will deliver visuals that exceed those found in traditional 1080p HD sets. Watching movies and television shows on this handset will be a treat.

This isn’t much of a surprise, but rumors suggest the Galaxy S 5 will launch with Android 4.4 (KitKat). Since it’s the latest Android launch, the move makes sense. It also ensures that buyers aren’t kept behind the times.

The Galaxy S 5 will join the increasingly frenzied smartphone camera arms race. While the handset won’t have a camera like the 41-megapixel PureView from Nokia, it’s expected to have 16 a megapixel camera. That should be more than enough for the average smartphone owner looking to snap a few photos.

Samsung’s Galaxy S 5 will be a flagship handset. So it shouldn’t surprise anyone if the device ends up on a wide array of carriers around the globe. From the major carriers to the regional networks, the Galaxy S 5 is promising to be ubiquitous in the market. For Samsung, that should allow sales to skyrocket. But for consumers, it offers freedom. After all, more options mean more opportunities to find the best wireless deal.