Samsung Galaxy S5 Release Date Approaching? AT&T Reportedly Testing Next Flagship; Device To Be Announced At WMC With QHD Display And Diamond Metal Exterior?

At this point, it’s still hard to know if rumors about the Samsung Galaxy S5 are accurate or made up; however, new reports about the soon-to-launch device continue to surface. Most recently, rumors indicate that carrier AT&T is currently testing the upcoming device for compatibility on its mobile network.

Tech informant @evleaks claims that AT&T has its hands on a device with the model number SM-G900A for internal testing. Similar model numbers, SM-G900S and SM-G900F, have already been connected with the Galaxy S5, which leads many to believe that this new model number is also connected to the Galaxy S5. Notably, during the pre-release of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, several model-number variants surfaced for the device, including SM-N900A, which was connected to the AT&T model, and they turned out to be accurate. The accurate AT&T model number for the Samsung Galaxy S4, SGH-I337, was also discovered early on.

Without confirmation from Samsung, however, nothing can be taken as fact, and the connection may be damning evidence in favor of this model number being for the AT&T Galaxy S5. Whether or not AT&T is actually testing the Galaxy S5 cannot be determined; however, Gotta Be Mobile also points out that AT&T and Samsung have a particularly close relationship, in that the carrier often gets exclusive access to the manufacturer’s upcoming products.

Galaxy S5 Recurrent Rumors: Unveiling at WMC With QHD Display

We will likely see even more model numbers pop up between now and the release of the Samsung Galaxy S5. Many other Galaxy S5 rumors have already begun to be regurgitated in hopes of increased validity, such as reports that S5 will be unveiled at the World Mobile Conference in late February and will feature a QHD (2560 x 1440) or 2K resolution display.

Samsung Galaxy S5 release date rumors have long been circling, with some suggesting the device would release in February or in March/April. With WMC being one of the closest upcoming tech events, it makes sense that many would consider it for such a device unveiling. The Samsung Galaxy S2 was notably unveiled at WMC in 2011; however, since then, when the popularity of Galaxy S devices exploded, subsequent generations have been granted their own unveiling events. This puts strikes against the validity of the WMC unveiling rumors. Notably, the Samsung Galaxy S4 was also rumored for a WMC unveiling much earlier this year; however, the S4 was ultimately announced at its own media event in New York City.

Meanwhile, there are currently lots of reports in favor of a Quad HD ‘QHD’ display for the Galaxy S5. A QHD or 2K displays with 2560 x 1440 resolution should not be confused with a quarter HD or ‘qHD’ display often found in mid-range devices. QHD actually equates to a display with four times the resolution of standard 720p devices. Recently, the Vivo Xplay 3S was unveiled as the first device to feature a QHD display. The device will primarily be sold in China.

Samsung is also known for putting a lot of development into displays for its high-end devices, with each device featuring the latest in display technology. The Samsung Galaxy S3 features a 1280×720 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display, while the Galaxy S4 features a 1920 x 1080 5-inch Full HD AMOLED display. The most recent Galaxy Note 3 features a 5.7-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display, which is considered on par with the best LCD displays on the market. If QHD is gearing up to be the latest in display technology, Samsung may very well be considering it for the Galaxy S5. Of course, this cannot be confirmed at the moment.

Another common recurrent rumor for the Galaxy S5 is the iris scanner. Reports indicate that the Galaxy S5 may feature capabilities, which will allow for security identification through scanning the iris of a user’s eye. The technology, which would likely be Samsung’s answer to the "Touch ID" fingerprint scanning technology on the iPhone 5s, is reportedly patented by Samsung and already headed toward production.

Galaxy S5 Latest Rumors: Diamond Metal Exterior

As many reports suggest the Galaxy S5 will release in a metal variant and a plastic variant, recent news also suggest that Samsung may be taking a slightly different route with the S5 chassis. ETNews proposes that the Galaxy S5 will feature an exterior treated in "diamond metal," which is a coating intended to make devices more resistant to scratches and deformation. The technology is derived from a diamond-like material, made from carbon exposed to high temperature and pressure. The material is then liquefied or powered and used for treatments of metal casings. At this point, such a technology for a Galaxy S series device, which thus far has been encased on polycarbonate, seems farfetched. But we also keep in mind reports of the Samsung Galaxy F, which may be Samsung’s first metal device.

Previous reports have suggested the Galaxy F may be instated as Samsung’s latest "premium" device, featuring sleeker designs. This would likely demote the Galaxy S line; while still being high-end, it would likely continue to introduce the latest software technology. Tech website Digitimes proposes that the Galaxy S5 won’t feature a metal exterior due to the fact that Samsung has been able to maintain its popularity while still producing plastic devices. Benefits to Samsung’s polycarbonate exteriors include quick and easy production of multiple new flagships each year, in addition to the inclusion of a removable back panel and subsequent removable battery and expandable MicroSD memory. The latter features are noted as reasons many consumers favor Samsung devices. Such devices made of aluminum like the iPhone and the HTC One do not have removable back panels.

According to Digitimes, the Galaxy S5 will instead be outfitted in either plastic and fiberglass or plastic and carbon fiber in order to keep production costs low. If the Galaxy S5 is made in plastic, it could likely also back up the QHD rumors. Displays on Samsung devices are notably the most expensive components, so it seems unlikely that the Korean manufacturer would match an expensive display with an expensive metal exterior. Consider than the metal encased iPhone 5s features an 1136 x 640 4-inch retina display; keeping its displays small and lower resolution may just be one of Apple’s tactics of cutting costs. This could also indicate that if a metal Samsung Galaxy device is in the works, it may feature a lower-end display in order to offset costs of the higher-end metal exterior.

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