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Samsung Galaxy S 4, S 5 rumors fly in South Korea

Samsung Galaxy S 4 may soon come in a ninth variety as South Korea ramps up for a potential Galaxy S 5.

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Jason DeCrow/AP Photo
Attendees try out the new Samsung Galaxy S4 during the Samsung Unpacked event at Radio City Music Hall in New York.

Samsung may be betting its flagship smart phone, the Galaxy S 4, has nine lives.

Rumors out of the Korean company’s homeland indicate that a ninth version of the Galaxy S 4 phone may soon be released. But the whispers don’t end there. Korean tech blogs and news outlets have been reporting what could be the next generation Galaxy S 5, which is thought to hit shelves in 2014.

First, let's address the S 4. Korean-language Ruliweb posted a leaked flyer that refers to a Galaxy S4 Active variant with LTE-A compatibility, according to BGR. Each of the previous models were unique versions of the Galaxy device, so if Samsung releases a ninth-gen model, you can guess it will have its own particular capabilities.

But the news doesn’t end there. Nearly every smart phone company shuffles up its offerings each year. With the rumored S 5, it looks as if Samsung is aiming to rise above the pack in screen resolution, camera, and hardware ability.

At an analyst day in Seoul last month, Samsung showed off its hope for mobile screen resolution. According to tech blog PocketLint, Samsung is aiming for a 2560x1440 AMOLED screen, bringing the resolution to a sparkling 560 pixels per inch. Samsung also added that it holds one in every three patents for flexible displays, and this year it released the curved-screen Galaxy Round.

On the other side of the device, according to Korean news website ET News via PocketLint, industry officials say Samsung is doing away with the plastic backing and switching to a higher-end aluminum casing to match some of its rivals. ET News adds that the phone will also likely be waterproof and dustproof. Samsung could take a page from Apple and releasing two versions: a high-end aluminum-backed version and a low-end plastic-backed version, according to the site.

The camera could get a boost, as well. Earlier this year, Samsung released the Zoom, which included a 16-megapixel camera with 10x optical zoom. According to new reports from Korea, according to tech blog GSMArena, the new camera could also include special optical image stabilization that would correct angle errors, clear up blur, and increase sharpness.

Hardware-wise, Digitimes (via PocketLint) is reporting that Samsung will include a 64-bit processor to the S 5, and PocketLint adds that Stephen Woo, Samsung's president of System LSI, recently said the company would soon be following Apple in utilizing 64-bit processors.

So when will we see this super clear, image stabilizing, 64-bit whirring mobile device? Again, Korea has the scoop. According to Unwired View, Korean website Joseilbo reports that the launch date has been pushed to January (unlike the usual March/April new release date) due to lagging S 4 sales.

Recently, there was some good sales news for Samsung – the Galaxy Note III, otherwise known as Samsung's 8-inch "phablet," surpassed $10 million in sales, making it the fastest selling Note device ever.

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