Galaxy S5 Release Date is an Unpacked London Event in March 2014: Minimalist UI, New Body Design & Robust Security Touted as Headline Features

So it is more likely that the world will get to see the Galaxy S5 in the first quarter of 2014, its release date tentatively set in mid-March via an exclusive Samsung event in London.

This was suggested over the weekend by Samsung-centric site SamMobile, adding on its report that a separate launch for the 2014 flagship, independent of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, makes sense as the GS5 is major product of the South Korean tech giant.

Besides, "Samsung has the budget to host their own event," added the same report, further ruling out a possible Feb 2014 preview of the latest high-end Galaxy S iteration, which will bump off the Galaxy S4 as the banner Samsung device this year.

And as the GS5 touchdown is becoming more and more real, power specs and features of the upcoming device are also shaping up, hinted by leaks coming from Samsung executives and offered by credible guesswork from various sources.

Revamped graphical user interface

Chief among the exciting new Galaxy S5 features is the TouchWiz skin that will wrap the gadget's Android mobile OS. It will be KitKat 4.4.2 for sure but according to @evleaks, Samsung engineers will use a simpler and straightforward design language for the GS5 look.

As a result, the GS5 will be essentially minimalist - ditching the excess features and bloated contents of the previous Galaxy S builds. Also, it goes without saying that the makeover is largely in response to the tamed down iOS 7 that currently brings the iPhone 5S into life.

So once the Galaxy S5 is out of the box a few months from now, Sammy fans can expect a fresh environment that attempts to overwhelm the unit's core Android operating system.

Radical make

Reports are persistent that the Galaxy S5 will come wrapped in metal, finally giving the iPhone rival it long-delayed premium look and feel. While leaked images of a supposed GS5 metal framing strongly support this possibility, other whispers suggested otherwise - that the mobile phone will remain plastic, boasting of composite material (polycarbonate as the base make) that is more durable and scratch-resistant.

Fusing the contradicting reports, some quarters conclude that Samsung will issue the Galaxy S5 in major builds - one made of metal with diamond coating and the other in less expensive plastic housing.

Solid security features

It is hard to imagine that Samsung will not counter the TouchID fingerprint scanner that Apple has proudly displayed with the iPhone 5S. Mix of published patents and rumours provide credible intel that the Galaxy maker is bringing forth its own version of fingerprint reader with the Galaxy S5.

But more interesting is the likelihood of bolstered biometric security features for the GS5, which reports from Asia insist will be iris scanner. On board with the device is an eye scanner that would give exclusive access to a user who first bought and used a Galaxy S5.

And to further beef up this already impressive security protocol for the Galaxy S5, the chance is high that Samsung will pack a major KNOX upgrade with the new mobile. KNOX offers a parallel secured environment for Galaxy users wanting to work mobile. But in recent weeks, security experts scored the system's alleged vulnerability.

Samsung has already denied the reports and maintained that KNOX serves as a reliable and secured vault. The company added that for good measures, a key bump up will be dispatched soon, which Sammy watchers expect will coincide with the Galaxy S5 2014 release date.