Galaxy S5 Rumors: Everything We Think We Know About Samsung's Next Big Thing

The Galaxy S5 could soon be alive.

If the rumors are true, Samsung should be revealing its fifth Galaxy S smartphone — the sequel to the super-popular Galaxy S4 — on Feb. 24, Monday of next week.

Earlier this month, we warned you that the S5 was coming. Soon, it’ll probably be real.

If you’re searching for every morsel of info about the rumored Samsung smartphone, then Yahoo Tech is here to help. We scanned the Internet rumor circuit to spool together some of the juiciest Galaxy S5 hearsay we could find.

Of course, rumors are rumors, regardless of how solid the source or visual evidence may appear. But we’ve tried to indicate the likelihood that each of these rumors will come true (so that you don’t get your hopes up too high for that Galaxy S time machine).

Now, without further ado: your Samsung Galaxy S5 rumor roundup.

The announcement
Samsung’s Galaxy S5 unveiling, according to theNew York Times and a lot of other folks, will probably come on Feb. 24 at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. Samsung has announced that it will be holding one of its “Unpacked” events at next week’s MWC. “Unpacked” is the event moniker that Samsung commonly uses to showcase premiere new devices, like the Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy Note 3.

Samsung hasn’t officially said what it will unveil at this February’s Unpacked event, but common sense, and all the rumors, would indicate the Galaxy S5. Worth noting, too, is that the digital invitations for Samsung’s MWC showcase feature a “5,”  a probable nod to the Galaxy S5 (duh).

It’s very, very likely that we’ll see a Galaxy S5 next week. It’s very, very likely that this device will be a smartphone, running the Android operating system.

Other than that? Well …

Check out the hardware
As far as what to expect for the device specifics, one supposed leak this week indicates that a much-buzzed-about fingerprint sensor, à la Apple’s Touch ID from the iPhone 5s, may be real.

A source has confirmed to Samsung site Sam Mobile that the Galaxy S5 will feature a home button fingerprint sensor, which will not only unlock the device but will also serve as a shortcut for launching designated apps by linking commands to as many as eight different fingers. The report by Sam Mobile indicates that, similar to HTC’s fingerprint scanning feature on the One Max, a swiping motion across the sensor will be used to read each fingerprint.

Other early hardware rumors for the S5, however, may wind up being mere desires rather than actual features. Whispers of a high-resolution 4K display, as well as a retina-scanning feature, were being passed around earlier this year. The NYT cited a source that claimed that these will not be included on the device, however. Don’t expect either.

(Image: SamsungGalaxyS5.nl)

The Times’source did state that an improved camera and faster processor should be expected. Those two features are backed up by a photo of what is believed to be the actual Galaxy S5 packaging and device information, as posted last week by a site devoted to scoping out info about the new smartphone, SamsungGalaxyS5.nl. The snap (above) shows a read-out of specs, including a 2.5 GHz quad-core processor, a 20-megapixel rear camera, a much larger 3,000 mAh battery and a 5.25-inch, qHD Super AMOLED screen. (The Galaxy S4’s display was 5.0 inches. The legitimacy of the above is in question.)

(Image: SonnyDickson.com)

Even Sonny Dickson, famous for his leaks of iPhone 5s and 5c photos before either was revealed, has joined the S5 rumor chatter. Spotted by Android news blog Phandroid, Dickson’s site posted an alleged design schematic (above) of the Galaxy S5, showing what may prove to be the look of the device itself in some detail. If accurate, this doesn’t appear to be a staggering design change from the Galaxy S4.

Waterproof?

Samsung recently posted a trailer for next week’s “Unpacked 5” which contains a hint that the Galaxy S5 may be waterproof.

(Image: BGR)

The video, which closes with the title “The Next Galaxy,” is a montage of folks engaging in all types of activities that normal Galaxy users engage in (we guess.) But, as tech news site BGR has smartly pointed out, a shot in the middle of the video shows a child on a slip and slide with an overlay of text spelling out “wet 5.” Though we can’t be certain that the phone will play nice with water, it does seem better than a good guess. After all, last year Samsung did release the Galaxy S4 Active, a water-resistant version of the S4.

The software, too
Some alleged screen captures of what may be the Galaxy’s refreshed user interface were also posted last month by @evleaks (below), a source known for getting a jump on reliable info about gadget and software unveilings. These images show a home screen, purportedly from Samsung’s newest remix of Android (which it calls TouchWiz), that looks to borrow a bit from the appearance of Windows Phone’s Live Tiles.

(Image: Twitter/evleaks)

So that’s your heads-up on what we expect to be showcased when Samsung takes the stage next week in Barcelona. If you’re currently in the market for a smartphone upgrade, and if any of these features sound appealing to you, then it may be a good idea to wait until next Monday to find out what is fact and what is fiction. Either way, here’s hoping that we’ll all be feasting our eyes on the real thing soon.

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