Samsung Galaxy S5 Release Date Pegged for February

The Samsung Galaxy S5 release could come early in 2014 according to a new report in Korean media which asserts Samsung executives are loose-lipped about plans to bring an iPhone 5s competitor to market quicker.

This report comes as Samsung is already talking about a 64-bit processor for the Galaxy S5 and rumors of a metal Samsung Galaxy S5 are circulating. Samsung is also reportedly skipping fingerprint sensor technology for this model, though a recent report suggests it was part of the Galaxy Note 3 before Samsung pulled the feature.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 launched in March with a release soon after in April, but this new report suggests Samsung may be speeding things up for a Galaxy S5 announcement in January 2014. This report specifically calls out a Galaxy S4 successor release in February 2014 with full-scale sales, which likely means a global and U.S. release as close as we saw with the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3. The report comes from Naver, a Korean news daily.

Read: Samsung Galaxy S5 – 7 Key Things Buyers Need to Know.

In addition to claiming the Samsung Galaxy S5 release date is set for February, the report also claims Samsung insiders revealed plans to use the 64-bit Exynos 5430 processor in the Galaxy S5. In September Shin Jong-kyun, President at Samsung confirmed 64-bit processors are coming to the Galaxy line of smartphones, hinting at the Galaxy S5. The Samsung Galaxy S5 may also include water resistant and dust proof features that Samsung saved for a Galaxy S4 active. If included, the Galaxy S5 would likely be capable of handling a 30-minute submersion in several feet of water without a case.

We’ve also heard that Samsung is planning a metal design for the Galaxy S5 on multiple occasions and scattered reports that the company is experimenting with a flexible display for the device. The Samsung Galaxy Round is Samsung’s first smartphone with a flexible display offering a rounded screen. Samsung previously showed off other ways a screen like this could fit into a smartphone, with a curved edge to show notifications while an S-View Flip Cover was on the device, which would make more sense for a mass-market device.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Fp31h4wXZN8

Apple may also be a reason for a faster Samsung Galaxy S5 release date. Samsung typically enjoys a longer window of exceeding the iPhone in new specs and features thanks to a Spring release cycle for the Galaxy S series and a fall iPhone release cycle. Rumors suggest Apple may use 2014 to deliver an iPhone 6 with a bigger screen. The latest credible report suggests a 4.7-inch Galaxy S5 competitor and a 5.7-inch Galaxy Note 3 competitor could be on the way from Apple in Q2 2014. If true, this would deliver an iPhone 6 release in close proximity to the Galaxy S5.

If Samsung plans a Galaxy S5 release in February we could see a Samsung Mobile Unpacked 2014 event at or near CES 2013 which takes place on January 7th in Las Vegas. Samsung typically holds the Unpacked events near a large mobile technology conference.