Samsung Galaxy S5 rumor round-up: release date, price and specs

As the end of the year nears, we've already witnessed each and every major smartphone launch in 2013. We've seen the HTC One, the Galaxy S4, the iPhone 5s, the LG G2, the Xperia Z1... it's been an amazing year that has brought us tons of excitement courtesy of the latest mobile technologies. With that, and with the Holiday season fast approaching, it looks like it's time to start thinking about the wonders that 2014 is going to bring us. Well, if there's anything we feel certain about, that's the fact that Samsung is to release its new flagship Android smartphone, the Galaxy S5, in just a few months. It is rumored that the South Korean giant is going to be among the first companies in 2014 to unleash a new top-shelf smartphone, and we can't wait to see what it's really going to look like! Well, exactly what it's going to offer, and will it have something to truly wow us with? That we don't know, but there is already a good number of rumors, leaks and indications, all of which can be used to paint an almost believable image of the Galaxy S5.

We've already come across a number of leaks dealing with the Galaxy S5's release date, as well as some of its technical characteristics, such as its supposed screen size, CPU, camera and more. Please, feel free to browse through the following slideshow gallery, where you'll learn more about what's going to be one of the most-discussed smartphones of 2014!

Samsung Galaxy S5 rumor round-up: release date, price and features

1. Galaxy S5 may have a 5"+ display with staggering 2560 x 1440 resolution

Samsung has some of the most controversial displays when it comes to mobile devices. Its AMOLED technology is loved by some, and despised by others. Anyway, in our opinion, there isn't any doubt that the Galaxy S5 will yet again feature an AMOLED screen. However, unofficial sources claim that this time around we may even see a bigger panel than the 5 inches of the GS4. Some claim it's going to be a 5.3" display, others don't provide exact numbers, but overall, chances for a bigger screen are good. What's even more interesting is that some seem to believe that the Galaxy S5's screen will have the mind-blowing resolution of 2560 x 1440! If this turns out true, it would result in the staggering pixel density of 560 ppi - imagine the level of clarity with such a display!

2. Galaxy S5 may sport a new, 64-bit Exynos chipset

Well, we can't really say that Samsung's Exynos 5 Octa chipset has been very successful - we've hardly seen this silicon buddy! Still, rumor has it that Samsung is gearing up to equip the Galaxy S5 with a brand new version of the beloved Exynos - one that features a 64-bit architecture - just like the iPhone 5s' A7 SoC. If that's the case, we absolutely can't wait to see how this bad boy's going to perform in real world (and in performance benchmarks), but alas, we'll have to wait a bit more for that. Other, however, think that Samsung will once again choose to out two versions of its product - one with the Exynos 64-bit and one with the Snapdragon 805 - Qualcomm's latest and greatest chipset. In any case, we're sure the Galaxy S 5 is going to be a monster, but we do hope that the Exynos version will see some wider availability this time.

3. The Samsung Galaxy S5 may pack the healthy 4 GB of RAM

Always looking to increase them numbers, Samsung is said to equip the GS5 with the healthy amount of 4 gigabytes of RAM memory. In case the device really features a 64-bit Exynos processor, then that's certainly possible. However, there are some counter-rumors that the Galaxy S5 is going to have not 4, but 3 GB of RAM. By the looks of it, both theories may turn out correct. For example, if there are two versions of the phone, the one with the Exynos 64-bit chipset may have 4 GB RAM, while the Snapdragon 805-powered one may sport 3 gigs.

4. 16 MP camera with OIS

The Galaxy S4's 13 MP camera is still among the very best around, but it's already starting to feel inferior to some of the newcomers. Of course, Samsung will be looking to remedy this with a new sensor, and by the looks of it, it's going to be a 16 MP camera with optical image stabilization. While we don't know much else about the GS5's camera, some claim that it's going to offer "up to 8 times brighter" images when shooting indoors. Whether or not we'd like to have indoor images that are 8 times brighter than our current ones is debatable, but let's just say that they mean the camera is going to be substantially better in low-light scenarios. The front-facing, 'selfie' shooter is said to have a resolution of 2 MP.

5. A GS5 in plastic, and a GS5 in metal

One of the wildest rumors we've heard about the Galaxy S5 is that it may come with two different designs - one made of plastic, and one made of metal. It sure sounds crazy, but this is Samsung we're talking about, so pretty much everything's possible. The company has long been accused of outfitting its wonderful internals with uninspired pieces of cheap plastic, so who knows, that may be the way they've chosen to check how the market is really going to react to a metal Galaxy S smartphone, without taking out the plastic option completely.

6. Conference video call feature baked in

Little is known about the next-generation of Samsung's TouchWiz user interface. We sure hope that a major redesign is in the works, but whether or not it's going to happen remain to be seen. Still, we may have already heard about one of the new software features that the Galaxy S5 is going to introduce (you know Samsung likes stuffing its phones with features, right?) - conference video calls! Not that you can't achieve it with a third-party service (or Google's Hangouts app), but it seems that in typical Samsung fashion, the South Koreans are going to come up with an alternative option once again.

7. Galaxy S5 release date in Q1

That's probably the juiciest bit we have about the Samsung Galaxy S5. Now, according to some sources, Samsung isn't very happy with the Galaxy S4's current performance on the market, which is why it'll be looking to release its successor earlier than usual. Usually, the Galaxy S smartphones get released in the April - May time-frame, but this time, Samsung is said to be pulling the launch earlier, to February or March. Hopefully those sources mean that actual launch, not just the announcement...

When it comes to price, there isn't any information just yet, but we can make some educated guesses. The major carriers in the United States graced the Galaxy S4 with a $199.99 price-tag on a two-year contract. There is no reason to believe that carriers may choose a different galaxy S5 pricing. Internationally, an unlocked Galaxy S5 will probably be offered at a 'popular flagship' price of somewhere between 600 and 700 €.