Samsung Galaxy S5 arriving in April 2014 with new Galaxy Gear 2

The Samsung Galaxy S5 release has finally been confirmed by Samsung's Executive VP of mobile, Lee Young Hee. In an interview with Bloomberg, Lee confirmed that Samsung would be sticking to their strategy of announcing a new flagship in March-April (meaning the S5's appearance at MWC next month might be debatable) and it will be on the market in April. Lee also confirmed the next generation Galaxy Gear will accompany the launch of the S5.

Our favorite concept design of the Galaxy S5 so far. / © Hasan Kaymak Innovations

Lee promised the bulky design of the current Galaxy Gear will be improved upon, along with more advanced functionality. Another Samsung executive, Dennis Miloseski of Samsung Design America has told re/code that another wearable device will also be launched in 2014, accompnaying the major flagship launches. A claim supported by Samsung's pre-CES Tweet which shared the image below. No specific information about Samsung's 2014 wearables were unveiled at CES though.

It sounds like 2014 will not only see the Gear 2 but another wearable device as well? / © Samsung

While the Galaxy S5 may well be slated for an April launch, that doesn't mean anyone can settle on what the thing will be made out of. Now there's new Korean reports floating around that it will in fact not be plastic or metal, but a mixture of both: a plastic face with a stainless steel battery cover. Whether this is due to the weight, cost or hedging bets I don't know (or really even care at this point). Plastic, metal, concrete, jelly – whatever, just decide already and make enough to handle the demand.

One of many concepts floating around, but the flexible display is ''under review''. / © Android Authority

Speaking of demand, the iris scanner we have previously discussed in connection with the S5 has reportedly come under review at Samsung. Lee has said that Samsung are ''studying the possibility'' of including an iris scanner in the S5, meaning the rumors were true but there's absolutely no confirmation that the technology will make it into the S5 yet. At the very least it may well find a home in the Galaxy Note 4 later in the year if it doesn't make the cut for the S5. Considering the problems with the S3-S4 transition, namely that the two devices were too similar, resulting in the ''early'' release of the S5 (which seems to be right on schedule regardless), Lee has said:

For the S5, we will go back to the basics. Mostly, it’s about the display and the feel of the cover.

If the S5 does like this (right(, do you think it's enough of a design change? / © Samsung, AndroidPIT

You may also recall the off-the-record discussion (that nevertheless ended up being published) a week ago between Samsung's VP and Head of Design Strategy, Dong-Hoon Chang, where he rather non-committally stated that the S5 would launch ''around'' MWC and would feature a new material (but didn't say what it would be) and also that the flexible display was ''under review''. A masterpiece of idiotic reporting, that. No wonder he wanted the discussion off the record. In any case, the flexible display sounds unlikely due to the usual reasons: supply chain issues.
Do you think the S5 will have a flexible screen, iris scanner, and a combination metal and plastic body? Do you think we'll get a look at it at MWC or have to wait until March for a first look?

Via: Sam Mobile Source: Bloomberg, re/code, INews24