Samsung Galaxy S5 Release Date Pushed Up to Feb. After Disappointing S4 Sales

The Samsung Galaxy S5 release date is apparently being pushed forward by the company to Feb. after the disappointing sales of the S4.

A new report from South Korean media states that Samsung will announce the new flagship sometime in January and will launch it during Feb. The company's expectations for the Galaxy S4 were not met, despite its success.

This is just a rumor at this point, however; an earlier launch for the S5 would help Samsung to steal some of the buzz Apple has garnered with the iPhone 5S and 5C.

The publication also reveals more information about the specs for the device. The S5 will feature a 64-bit Exynos 5 Octa 5430 processor which will be a true octa-core CPU, a 16-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization, and a fingerprint scanner.

The handset will be water and dust proof out of the box, according to another report from ET News.

Instead of releasing a separate version of the handset with these capabilities, the company will equip the default version of the flagship for harsh conditions. Samsung is also expected to release an Active version of the Note 3 before the end of this year.

The company would be mimicking Sony with this strategy as the Japan-based electronics firm recently unveiled the Xperia Z1 that will also be dust and waterproof.

Samsung will waterproof the Galaxy S5 because of the surprising success it had with the S4 Active model. The rugged appeal will also help the company to shake the image of its devices being less premium in terms of appearance, in comparison to its competitors.

The company is currently experimenting with new materials and could make changes in its supply chain, according to ET News. This is all an effort to build better rugged handsets than the competition. However, this is only a rumor at this time, as nothing has been confirmed by Samsung concerning either of these devices.