The Galaxy S5 will be revealed in a couple of weeks at Samsung Unpacked 2014, which is scheduled to take place just before the opening of this year's Mobile World Congress, but while we've a rough idea of the tech specs, the Korean mobile giant has done a pretty good job of keeping the device itself under lock-and-key. Being tech fans, we're simply itching to see what's in store, and designer Jinesh Shah has cooked up a visual image of the device that not only offers a rough guide as to the form factor, but also takes into account recent TouchWiz icon leaks to present a neat, conceptualized UI to go with it. Check it out after the fold!
Samsung's Galaxy S5 is very much at the center of attention right now, with leaks and speculation rife. We were recently shown a teaser for Samsung's Unpacked 2014 event which featured some rather fetching, distinctly flat icons, leading many to suggest that this may be a nod towards a newly redesigned TouchWiz interface for Samsung's Android line of smartphones. Those playing devil's advocate suggested that it may instead be based on icons from Tizen, but now it seems clear that it is in fact a teaser of what we may all be looking at when using a Galaxy S5.
It has already been confirmed that Samsung's Unpacked 2014 event will occur at the opening of Mobile World Congress in a couple of weeks time, with the Korean company having already sent out the invitations last week. And while we've heard much about the device itself, including a recent benchmark leak that has all-but confirmed the existence of two very different versions of the Galaxy S5 handset, new leaked media has given us a flavor of a significantly-revamped TouchWiz interface.
It has long since been suspected that Samsung's Galaxy S5 could spawn two separate editions. The first model, from what we've gathered, will be a relatively high-end affair, while the second will be an outright powerhouse, packed with all the very latest tech. More evidence has today emerged to corroborate this notion, thanks to a new set of leaked benchmarks, which paint a more specific picture of what's in the offing.
Yesterday, it emerged that Samsung, a partner of the 2014 Moscow Winter Olympics, was giving away free Galaxy Note 3 handsets in goody bags handed to each and every participating athlete. Only, instead of being a genuine gift with the hope of a little ad coverage if the Olympian was snapped using the device, it was also reported that the Korean company was trying to exercise some kind of jurisdiction over what the athlete could then use (or indeed, not use) with regards to rivaling devices during the opening ceremony. However, official correspondence from the IOC (via MacRumors) has refuted the claim, so while it did make for an entertaining (and strangely plausible) story, Samsung's give away looks a genuine, no-strings gift to the stars after all.
Samsung, as you'll likely be aware, has a colossal advertising budget, regularly throwing tens of millions into new ad campaigns. While some, like the Samsung Style dance, have left us cringing, the company has regularly taken the more traditional approach of involving itself in major sporting events, and having been a major partner in the London 2012 Summer Olympics, the company is also looking to capitalize on Moscow's 2014 Winter Games. But while its tactic of giving away a free Galaxy Note 3 to every athlete may equate to some decent coverage when the TV feeds are beamed worldwide, there's a catch, in that recipients of the free Note must obscure the Apple logo if they plan on using an iPhone during the opening ceremony.
Samsung already took a stab at the Windows Phone 8 market with the ATIV range, and is now back with a bigger, badder model for Windows Phone 8.1. According to a snap posted by the ever-reliable Evleaks Twitter handle, the device is codenamed "Huron" (model SM-W750V), and as well as looking very much similar to the Galaxy S4 (as the ATIV S rather did the Galaxy S3), it will also be carried by Verizon Wireless in the United States.
Samsung has officially announced that its Unpacked 5 - Episode 1 event will take place on the opening day of this year's Mobile World Congress (MWC) gathering, which is February 24th, adding additional speculation regarding the possible introduction of the Galaxy S5 smartphone.
Earlier on this month, Samsung's plans to release a slightly cheaper, smaller and less-powerful Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo hit the blogosphere, and today, the Korean company has officially unveiled the device. Although it was initially thought that there would only be one tweaked Note 3 in the offing, there are actually two variants of the Neo, including the standard edition and a second, Neo LTE+ handset with 4G capabilities. So if you like the Galaxy Note 3 but don't need the large display, top-spec hardware or high-end price tag, then the Neo range might just take your fancy.
The major smartphone vendors are in a constant battle to outdo each other when it comes to the marquee features of new releases. Apple certainly upped its game with the iPhone 5s, delivering, among other things, Touch ID, and although, for a while, it appeared as though Samsung might counter with an iris scanner for the Galaxy S5, an app leak suggests that the Korean company will instead seek to emulate its bitter rival by including a fingerprint sensor. This would, if true, tie neatly in with a report from early last week that also suggested the S5 would take this route.
