What to Expect From the Samsung Galaxy S5

Will Samsung's next flagship smartphone use a 64-bit processor and a leather case? It's possible.

It is widely expected that Samsung will officially debut the Galaxy S5 next week in Barcelona. A few hints, leaks, and official statements regarding the company's next flagship smartphone have been released, but, for the most part, there are still quite a few features that remain unknown or exist as little more than rumors. If you're considering picking up the latest major handset from Samsung, take a look at what might be shown off at the big unveiling.

Samsung Galaxy S5 concept render

Larger display

Android smartphones, in general, have a reputation of sporting a larger display with each iteration. Last year, the Galaxy S4 included a 5-inch screen, and this time around it might even be bigger, with some speculating that the new device could reach up to 5.2 inches.
While some may be concerned that the increase in size will make Samsung's standard phone reach the "phablet" category—the Galaxy Note 3 has a 5.5-inch display—it's entirely possible that the actual handset may not be much bigger. For example, the LG G2 has a 5.2-inch screen, but the phone itself is roughly the same size as the Galaxy S4.
As far as resolution is concerned, you can expect at least 1080p, although there have been rumors that Samsung will up the ante by launching the Galaxy S5 with a 2K resolution screen.

Leather and metal

Since the release of the Galaxy Note 3, we have seen Samsung apply a faux-leather backing to more of its high-end devices, most recently with its new Galaxy Pro tablets. Don't be surprised if you see the same with the Galaxy S5, alongside some metallic materials. Apple, Sony, and Nokia have applied aluminum casings or frames to their high-end devices, and it's a sure way to accentuate a device's build quality.
We had issues with the use of cheap, slippery plastic on previous Galaxy smartphones, and the application of more premium materials would surely bring the Galaxy S5's construction up to par with its competitors.
The new Galaxy smartphone is also expected to be more uniquely designed than the last two models. Earlier this year, a Samsung executive stated that "When we moved to S4 from S3, it’s partly true that consumers couldn’t really feel much difference between the two products from the physical perspective, so the market reaction wasn’t as big." He continued, "For the S5, we will go back to the basics. Mostly, it’s about the display and the feel of the cover."

Samsung Galaxy S5 concept render

High-powered internals

Like Apple did with the iPhone 5S, Samsung is rumored to unveil a 64-bit processor with the Galaxy S5. iOS developers haven't quite taken full advantage of Apple's new processor—which is actually manufactured by Samsung—but the introduction of the high-powered CPU paves way for more intensive apps and processing, and the same can potentially be done for Android as well.
Rumors suggest that Samsung's 64-bit Exynos processor will be coupled with 2 or 3GB of RAM, while a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 version may come with 3GB of RAM. In the past, Samsung has released different models of its phone with either its own Exynos processor or a Snapdragon CPU, with one used for the HSPA+ version and the other utilized as part of LTE-enabled devices.

Improved camera

Samsung's high-end smartphones have some of the best mobile cameras on the market, and, unsurprisingly, the Galaxy S5's shooter is expected to get an increase in megapixel count. The Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S4 both sport 13-megapixel cameras, but the next flagship is said to include a 16-megapixel shooter with optical image stabilization and a new LED flash configuration.

New Android Interface

It's been reported that Google is working with Samsung to tone down the manufacturer's TouchWiz Android skin, which recently underwent a more drastic redesign with its Magazine interface. However, some leaks have shown the opposite, revealing a flat, Windows Phone-esque UI that also resembles HTC's Blinkfeed, to a degree.
Samsung is notorious for tweaking Android, and although it's been said that Google wants the company to take a step back from heavily customizing the interface, don't be shocked if the Galaxy S5 does something completely different altogether.

Fingerprint scanner

Like the HTC One Max and iPhone 5S before it, Samsung's next flagship may be equipped with a fingerprint scanner. By swiping ones finger across the device's home button, the phone will record the unique pattern. According to a recent report, the phone will allegedly be able to register up to eight fingerprints, and each can be used to launch a different task or app.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Video Review

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We may not know exactly what Samsung has up its sleeves, but we do have a good idea of what may be announced in just a few days. One thing we do know, though, is that the company plans to launch the Galaxy S5 by April. Fortunately, the wait to find out everything there is to know about the latest Galaxy is expected to end on February 24th, so make sure to stay tuned to IGN for all the big news from the event.
Which features above do you hope to see revealed next week? Let us know in the