Samsung Galaxy S3 Release Date: Launch Set For May Says Leaked Photo, Should Users Buy Or Wait For IPhone 5?

Samsung's flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S3, may be seeing a release date in the near future. The new device may be unveiled on May 22nd, according to technology news site Geek.com.

It seems that the details on Samsung's latest venture just keep rolling out. Geek.com also reported that a leaked press image of the smart phone hit the Web, giving fans an impression of what the gadget may look like.

When viewing the image, the calendar widget in the home screen's bottom right corner reveals the date May 22nd 2012, with a time stamp of 7p.m. This matches up with the date Samsung confirmed for their Samsung Unpacked event.

This isn't the first picture of the phone to leak out to the Internet. Earlier in March, a slide from a presentation by Weber Shandwick, a PR firm with Samsung as one of their clients, was also revealed on the Web. The image also showed a profile view of the device, indicating that it will be a slim addition to the Samsung family.

The phone was initially expected to launch in April, says a report from the company's Greater China president Kim Young-Ha. The launch date still has yet to be confirmed, but the newest speculations point to a May 22nd release.

With the iPhone 5 expected to launch in the coming months, Samsung may have a lot to compete against. However, users may be pleasantly surprised at the punch packed into the upcoming Galaxy device, which is expected to sport a 4.6in screen with a resolution of 720 x 1280. And even though Apple may roll out a higher resolution display, Samsung's signature AMOLED display boasts some of the best colors and contrast of any mobile device.

But Samsung may also be revolutionizing the mobile industry with its upcoming endeavor. A new speculation states that the Galaxy S3 may be the first phone to feature wireless charging, according to The Christian Post.

Its predecessor, the S2, won the Best Phone award at the MCW 2012, and sold 10 million units just two weeks after its release.

The original Galaxy S has been the iPhone's biggest threat as far as device vs. device sales go, wrote Dustin Early of smartphone news blog AndroidAndMe.

Will the S3 live up to the hype created by its previous models? There's no telling until the phone is released, but those seeking an alternative to the pricy iPhone line may find a more than satisfactory product.