Samsung Galaxy S5 release date, news, rumours, specs and price - updated

The eagerly awaited Samsung Galaxy S5 release date is growing near, with a number of recent Samsung Galaxy S5 rumours pegging the handset for a pre-MWC 2014 unveiling.

With Samsung spokespeople having officially confirmed to TrustedReviews that a Samsung Galaxy S5 release date will be held in Q1, further reports have looked to narrow down the phone's arrival, with a February 23 launch the most recent to be tipped.

Away from the phones's arrival, a senior company exec recently stated that the Samsung Galaxy S4 successor will have a focus on the screen and "feel" of the smartphone, while a selection of leaked photos suggest the S5 could even feature a brand new UI.

Although one of the most frequently repeated Samsung Galaxy S5 rumours is the phone's move to an all new, premium metal body, the company has informed us that this might not be the case after all. In a recent interview, Kyle Brown, Head of Technical Product Management within Samsung’s IM division which covers smartphones, tablets and wearables, told us: "I don’t believe Samsung will go down the route of making a metal device just because other manufacturers are.”

To keep up to date with all the latest Samsung Galaxy S5 release date, news, rumours, specs and price details, bookmarket this page as we will be updating it regularly with all the latest details.

Samsung Galaxy S5 News

While a number of recent Samsung Galaxy S5 rumours have claimed the phone will become the first handset to run the upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor, the chipset manufacturer has hinted that this might not be the case.

With the Samsung Galaxy S5 release date tipped for Q1, speaking with TrustedReviews, Qualcomm's Vice President of Marketing has revealed he does not expect the first Snapdragon 805 device to land until "mid-2014".

Giving an insight into the phone's upcoming abilities, in late 2013, claimed Samsung Galaxy S5 benchmarks appeared suggesting that, despite making a jump to a rival 64 bit processor, the S5 will be slower than the iPhone 5S.

While reports have suggested that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S5 clocked a score of 3303.88 in a Rightware Browsermark test, the recording is slower than both the iPhone 5S's score of 3669.91 and even the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 which clocked 3353.07.

While the leaked Samsung Galaxy S5 benchmarks have suggested the phone will be less powerful than the iPhone 5S, further reports suggested that in a bid to save money on production costs, Samsung will drop the flagship phone from its usual AMOLED panel to a cheaper LCD offering.

However, fresh reports have suggested that the Galaxy S5 will abandon AMOLED  technology in fabour of an LTPS LCD display, due to production difficulties with the 2K resolution AMOLEDs.

This is supported by the fact Samsung recently purchased a 3 per cent stake in Sharp, meaning it isn't out of the question for Sharp to manufacture screens for the next Samsung flagship.

Recently, it has been suggested that the Korean manufacturer will hold a Samsung Galaxy S5 release date in March 2014. Now, a Samsung Mobile exec has confirmed that the S5 is on target for a March/April release date alongside the second-generation Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch.

There are also rumours that the Galaxy S5 could launch with a premium Samsung Galaxy F handset, offering specs at the very top of those currently available.

Elsewhere, Samsung recently teased a range of potential Samsung Galaxy S5 features. Speaking at its annual Analyst Day in Seoul, South Korean, the manufacturer has suggested that its 2014 phones (i.e. the Samsung Galaxy S5) will boast impressive 2560 x 1440 pixel displays as well as 16-megapixel ISOCELL camera sensors and as much as 4GB of RAM.

What's more, while recent Samsung Galaxy S5 rumours have pointed to the device trading in its less than impressive plastic build in favour of a new metal option, Samsung itself has stated the phone will support a 64-bit processor. While it might copy the iPhone 5S' CPU, Samsung has stated the S5 will not feature an integrated fingerprint scanner.Ensuring it is not left behind, latest Samsung Galaxy S5 news has once again seen the upcoming handset tipped to run a 64-bit processor, similar to that found in the new iPhone 5S.

While Samsung’s CEO of Mobile Shin Jong-Kyun recently stated that "yes, our next smartphones will have 64-bit processing functionality," reports of production issues had hinted this feature might not drop until later in 2014 aboard the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. Now, however, the Samsung Galaxy S5 looks set to be on the receiving end, of the PC-esque processor.

“According to the latest bits of information coming from Samsung’s homeland, the company is pretty much done with developing its in-house 64-bit CPU,” tech blog GforGames has reported. They added: “From our understanding, Samsung went past the more difficult parts of creating the CPU, and the chip is almost ready for its release.”

Further reports have suggested the Samsung Galaxy S5 release date will see the handset line up with 3GB of RAM in tow. A feature that has also been mooted for the imminent Samsung Galaxy Note 3, the S5's expansive RAM has been hinted at after the company's latest development announcement.

Speaking in recent weeks, Samsung confirmed that it had started mass production of the first 3GB low power DDR3 RAM chips for mobile devices. With the Samsung Galaxy S5 set to be the manufacturer's new flagship phone, it makes sense that it will run the company's latest developments and most advanced components.

A chip that could spell more than increased speeds and improved multitasking capabilities, the Samsung Galaxy S5 RAM improvement could result in a slimmer phone with a bettery battery life. An official spokesperson for the company stated: "Samsung's new ultra-slim memory solutions will enable thinner smartphone designs and allow for additional battery space, while offering a data transfer speed of up to 2,133 megabits per second (Mbps) per pin."

Samsung Galaxy S5 Release Date

Samsung Mobile Executive Vice President, Lee Young Hee, was recently quoted as stating the Samsung Galaxy S5 release date will lie in March or April, launching alongside the Galaxy Gear 2 smartwatch.

"We've been announcing our first flagship model in the first half of each year, around March and April, and we are still targeting for release around that time. When we release our S5 device, you can also expect a Gear successor with more advanced functions, and the bulky design will also be improved," said Lee.

It's a bit of a relief to have some concrete release date info, even if it is a little unsurprising. Like its bitter rival Apple, Samsung has become something of a fan of strict annual product cycles for its leading product lines and as such has become a little bit predictable.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 hit UK retailers on April 26 after a dedicated New York launch event on March 14. The Samsung Galaxy S3 went into stores on May 29 2012 and all the way back in 2011, the Samsung Galaxy S2 launched on May 1.

Although it is believed the Samsung Galaxy S5 will hit retailers in March, it has been suggested that the phone will be unveiled during a pre-MWC 2014 press conference on February 23.

“Samsung Galaxy S5 launch – 18.00. Barcelona. 23 February. Price the same. Launch – end of April. Specs – u know them. New touchwiz," Mobile Review editor and serial launch date tipster, Eldar Murtazin Tweeted recently.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Rumours

Samsung Galaxy S5 rumours have been doing the rounds for quite some time now. The most prominent Samsung Galaxy S5 rumours to date, however, all focus on one area of the currently unconfirmed phone – its design.

With the Samsung Galaxy S4 having been widely criticised for its plastic form factor which failed to match up to the brushed metal highlights of the iPhone 5 or HTC One, Samsung is widely expected to adopt an all new finish for the S5, with new aluminium body repeatedly tipped.

The Galaxy S5 will most likely forego the flexible, curved form factor introduced with the Samsung Galaxy Round and LG G Flex, due to low yield rates and increased costs.

"The current capacity for flexible panels is not high enough for the Galaxy S5, which will be rolled out early next year," suggested Kim Jong-hyen, an analyst at Seoul-based Eugene Investment & Securities.

According to unnamed “sources close to the South Korean phone maker,” recent reports have suggested that the Samsung Galaxy S5 will be used to launch a new ‘Design 3.0’ standard within the company.

The sources stated: “While we don’t have the slightest idea what Design 3.0 really means in terms of looks, we can now confirm that Samsung will start to use aluminium for its high-end smartphones, and the Samsung Galaxy S5 will be the first one to receive this treatment.”

Further hinting at a change in design and materials, Samsung recently acquired carbon fibre specialist the SGL Group, announcing in an official statement that it would be using the high-end lightweight materials in future phones and tablets.

"Lightweight materials have become an important factor not only in industrial applications but also the consumer end markets such as digital media," Yoosung Chung, President & CEO of Samsung Petrochemical said. He added: "This partnership will position Samsung as a leading player in the development and application of carbon fibre-based products.”

"The cooperation is expected to provide a stable long-term supply of carbon fibre materials for Samsung and promote its use in various Samsung products and applications such as consumer electronics, medical devices and engineering applications,"

Samsung Galaxy S5 Specs

With the Samsung Galaxy S4 having taken smartphone specs to the next level, it is widely expected that the South Korean manufacturer will continue with a similar trend with the next-generation S5. Although few areas of the phone’s features list have yet been rumoured, certain elements have already been teased.

In January, it was rumoured that the Galaxy S5 could feature a brand new UI, a 2014 edition of the Samsung TouchWiz UX that sports a whole new redesign.

Earlier this month a Samsung design patent leaked (above) showing off a new angled-edged phone which has been mooted to the be the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S5.

As you can see in the leaked UI screengrabs above, Samsung may introduce design tweaks with the S5 TouchWiz, offering a more mature feel to its currently slightly cartoonish UI.

This brand new UI could also run on a 5.25-inch QHD 2K resolution display that has recently entered production, stepping up the 5-inch Full 1080p HD screen of the S4.

The QHD panel would offer a stunning resolution of 2560 x 1440p with a 560ppi image density for sublime image quality and make it king of the current smartphone displays.

Based on an outed design filing, the phone will run a version of Google’s Android operating system (no surprises there then) as well as integrated cameras front and back.

Other recently emerged Samsung Galaxy S5 rumours have claimed the upcoming handset will make use of a new 16-megapixel smartphone camera sensor, offing high-end snaps that could finally spell the end for the dedicated compact camera.

According to further leaks, the Samsung Galaxy S5 specs sheet will see the new 16-megapixel camera sensor further bolstered by optical image stabilisation features.The revised camera component is said to be under development in Korea to replace the 13-megapixel snapper found on the existing S4.

Recent reports have claimed that the Samsung Galaxy S5 could be wrapped within a Samsung Galaxy S4 Active esque waterproof coating.

Samsung has also developed an 8GB RAM chip, just in time for the Galaxy S5 launch. The South Korean electronics giant announced the chip at the end of 2013, calling the new chip "the industry's first eight gigbit (Gb), low power double data rate 4 (LPDDR4), mobile DRAM".

The chip should use around 40 per cent less battery power and help power higher resolution displays.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Price

Although the Samsung Galaxy S5 price is a long way from being confirmed, it has already been suggested that the S5 will cost more than its already pricey predecessor.

According to the same unnamed sources who have claimed a metal bodied design will be bestowed upon the next-gen handset, the Samsung Galaxy S5 price will be bumped up by the new premium building materials.

Stay tuned for more Samsung Galaxy S5 news and rumours as more details on the S4 follow-on continue to appear.