Just a couple of weeks after Samsung launched the much-anticipated Note 3,
rumours around the alleged Galaxy S5 gained momentum. Though Samsung
has not exactly been tight lipped (read: 2K display) about the successor
to the Galaxy S4,
it doesn't need to say much considering the speculation about the next
flagship. Samsung is rumored to be preparing the Galaxy S5 for a January 2014 announcement with a February launch date.
Aluminium Metal frame
Looks like Apple and Samsung have
exchanged gloves. Apple introduced its first plastic-built device, the
iPhone 5c, recently. Now, Samsung is rumoured to be opting for metal
over polycarbonate. Leaked device parts
of the alleged S5 that surfaced last month show a metal frame. Of
course just a metal frame does not tell us much about the materials for
the exterior, Samsung could be moving away from plastic finally. That
has been the biggest criticism against Samsung devices for many years.
However, it must be noted there are no guarantees that the leaked image
even belongs to a Samsung device.
5 to 5.3-inch display size
The
Galaxy S4 features a 5-inch display while the recently launched Galaxy
Note 3 comes equipped with a 5.7-inch display. Some reports suggest that
Galaxy S5 could settle for a display size somewhere between the two at 5.3-inch display.
The metal frame mentioned above measures 5.66-inches in height and
2.8-inches in width. A 5.3-inch display would be best suited for such
dimensions. On the other hand, other reports point to a 5-inch display. Perhaps, Samsung will consider keeping the display size around the 5-inch territory to better sell the Note line-up.
2K Display
The display resolution the most talked
about rumour when it comes to the S5. The
Galaxy S5 could feature a 5-inch Super AMOLED panel with
an eye-popping 2560x1440 pixel resolution, resulting in a pixel density
of 560ppi. Further adding fuel to the fire, a leaked GFX benchmark listing for a device codenamed SM-G900S reveals the same resolution, with many speculating that this is indeed the S5.
Octa-core processor or Snapdragon 800?
In September, Samsung had promised to come up with a new 64-bit chip
to compete with Apple. Speculation is rife that the next device in its
popular high-end “S” series would feature this chipset. However, the
leaked benchmark
that pointed to the 2K display also lists a Snapdragon 800 chipset
clocked at 2.4GHz along with the Adreno 330 GPU. Now, this is a tad
disappointing as many tech enthusiasts expected the S5 to have the
Qualcomm Snapdragon 805, or a 64-bit version of Samsung's own Exynos
chip. We could be in for a surprise like last time around and have two
configurations of the S5 - one powered by a Qualcomm processor and Samsung's own Exynos chip. In terms of memory, the S5 is
expected to have 3GB of RAM, going by the Galaxy Note 3.
16-megapixel camera
The Galaxy S5 is also expected to get a 16-megapixel camera module
with optical image stabilisation. Both Sony and Samsung
are bidding
to be the main supplier of the new CMOS image sensors for the company's
next high-end smartphone. It should be noted that the 13-megapixel
camera currently seen in the Galaxy S4 is supplied by Sony. Reportedly,
the company may end up keeping its existing suppliers for the camera
module, lens and auto-focusing (AF) actuator, but Sony and Samsung’s
System LSI division will be fighting to be the main CMOS image sensor
supplier.
Eye-Scanner
If Apple has a
fingerprint scanner to spruce up security, can Samsung be far behind?
This one seems highly unlikely to us, but we know how Samsung likes to
put to use the front camera. Samsung is rumoured to be working on an “Eye-Scanning” unlock speciality. Rumours say the S5's front camera will scan your eyes to verify your identity before letting you use the phone.
Labels: Samsung