Samsung Galaxy S5 Release Date Coming: Leaked Render Suggests Galaxy S4-Like Design; Fingerprint Scanner May Be Located In Bezel-Free Display Corners

Though there may be many reports about the Samsung Galaxy S5, there has been little indication about what the coming device might look like, but now a leaked render suggests that the Galaxy S5 might be very similar to the Samsung Galaxy S4 in design.

Tech insider Sonny Dickson, who is known for leaking images of Apple devices, has shared renders, which he believes may be of the Samsung Galaxy S5. The renders depict a device that does look rather similar to the Galaxy S4, but the major difference comes in dimensions, which accompany the render. According to the mockup, the Galaxy S5 will be 5.58 inches long, 2.8 inches wide and 0.32 inches thick. In comparison, the Galaxy S4 is 5.38 inches long, 2.75 inches wide and 0.31 inches thick.

Notably, the proposed dimensions for the Samsung Galaxy S5 indicate an overall device larger than its predecessor, the Galaxy S4, at a time when several generations of Samsung flagships have been smaller than their predecessors in dimensions, while still possessing larger screens.

The Galaxy S5 is rumored to feature a 5.25-inch display, which is not far off from the 5-inch display on the Galaxy S4. As device displays get larger, it has become increasingly more difficult for Samsung to maintain streamlined dimensions that prevent their devices from being bulky. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3, for example, is just .1 mm longer than its predecessor the Galaxy Note 2, though the Note 3 is less wide and thick than the Note 2. The proposed display for the Galaxy S5 is already creeping into phablet territory, as the original Galaxy Note possessed a 5.3-inch display. But its dimensions are still much larger than the likely Galaxy S5 dimensions.

Whether this render accurately depicts the Samsung Galaxy S5 is uncertain at this point, but we can gather that the Galaxy S5 may be a bit longer than its predecessor in order to accommodate its likely larger screen. The .1-inch breadth difference may be just enough for Samsung to advertise the Galaxy S5 as thinner and lighter than the Galaxy S4.

Samsung Galaxy S5: Fingerprint Scanner Details

Meanwhile, other reports are building on the rumors that the Samsung Galaxy S5 may feature an on-screen fingerprint scanner. Initial rumors suggested that Samsung was opting for fingerprint scanner technology on the Galaxy S5 instead of iris scanner technology because the later was not sufficiently developed. Then reports indicated that the Galaxy S5 fingerprint sensor might be one that works by swiping a finger across the screen. Now, an industry insider suggests that the Galaxy S5 fingerprint sensor may have a stationary location on its display, at the bottom left and right corners of the screen. This may reportedly be a preliminary step to a full-screen fingerprint scanner in the future.

“Scanning fingerprints on the entire screen, which was much talked about recently, will be available in the latter half of this year as there are still technological hurdles to overcome,” the insider recently told the Korea Herald.

The main point of the on-screen fingerprint scanner development is to differentiate Samsung’s scanner from mobile fingerprint scanners already on the market. Notably, Apple’s iPhone 5s features its Touch ID fingerprint scanner within a sensitized home button, while the HTC One Max features its fingerprint scanner on its back panel. Another source previously told the Korea Herald that Samsung was developing its fingerprint scanner on its display to provide more surface area for more accurate readings.

Samsung Galaxy S5: Display Details

Further development of the Galaxy S5 display may see the device released without bezels. Several subsequent generations of Samsung Galaxy flagships have been released with thinner and thinner bezels for the sake of increasing display size without excessively increasing device size. However, the Galaxy S5 may do away with bezels for the sake of increasing display functionality.

Sources speaking to the Korea Herald say the development of a zero-bezel display would strip two layers of Samsung’s four-layer displays. The removal of these layers, which are made with indium tin oxide (ITO) films, will reportedly allow for better viewing angles as well as better energy efficiency and increased sensitivity on the Galaxy S5 display. Such increased sensitivity may in turn allow for better display functionality while users are wearing gloves, and would likely also aid the sensitivity of a possible on-screen fingerprint sensor.

While none of these features can be confirmed for the Galaxy S5 at the moment, we can take away from these reports that the Galaxy S5 is likely to see new dimensions and developments in its display. The Samsung Galaxy S5 is expected to be unveiled at the Unpacked 5 event at the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona on Feb. 24.

Do you think the recent Samsung Galaxy S5 reports are accurate? Let us know in the comments below.

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