Just days ahead of Samsung's press event, the purported Galaxy F, or Galaxy S5 Prime, has been spotted in the wild, boasting a premium brushed metal design.
Rumors of a metal Galaxy smartphone from Samsung have been making rounds for ages, but so far nothing materialized. The current Galaxy S5 flagship smartphone still sports the polycarbonate plastic design Samsung is notorious for, but the company is widely expected to release a more premium version very soon.
This premium version of the Galaxy S5 would finally bring a metal design to the table, as well as upgraded specs all around. This purported model has leaked with several names so far, including the Galaxy Alpha, Galaxy F, Galaxy S5 Prime, and others.
While the purported Galaxy F has popped up online before, the latest leak now shows the device in the wild, not in press shots, which adds more credibility. The photo (see above) comes from Phone Arena, which claims to have received it from an anonymous tipster.
The image shows a device that's nearly identical to the existing Galaxy S5, save for a few notable changes. The textured, band aid-like pattern found on the original flagship is apparently replaced by a more stylish, brushed aluminum design, and the bezels around the display seem to be significantly thinner. The handset also seems taller than 5 inches, and the flap covering the USB port suggests that it will also be water-resistant.
Based on rumors so far, the Samsung Galaxy F, or Galaxy S5 Prime, is expected to boast a 5.3- or 5.5-inch display with a QHD resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 quad-core processor, a hefty 3GB of RAM, and a 16-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilization (OIS). Well-known and trusted tipster @evleaks has also leaked the Galaxy F recently, suggesting that it may make its debut soon.
When it comes to the expected launch date of this device, the premium Galaxy F could make its debut in just a couple of days. Samsung has a press event scheduled for June 12, when it is widely expected to unveil its much-rumored Galaxy Tab S lineup of tablets with AMOLED displays, and the Galaxy F may debut alongside the new slates.
With the LG G3 and the HTC One (M8) powerhouses ready to take on the premium Android smartphone market, it would make sense for Samsung to unleash a premium Galaxy smartphone with a metal body as soon as possible in order to better compete against rivals.
With nothing official at this point, it's still advisable to take this news with a grain of salt until an official announcement. With Samsung's June 12 event just a couple of days away, however, we'll soon know the real scoop straight from the source, so stay tuned.
