Samsung Unpacked 2014 Press Invites Go Out; Galaxy S5 Incoming!

Samsung has officially announced that its Unpacked 5 – Episode 1 event will take place on the opening day of this year’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) gathering, which is February 24th, adding additional speculation regarding the possible introduction of the Galaxy S5smartphone.

It seems that its rival Apple has started a trend by issuing event invites that contain subtle hints to what could potentially be announced at the event. Samsung’s Unpacked invitation features the number ’5′, leading many to believe that it will introduce the future of the Galaxy S series.

The release of the Unpacked 5 invitation has come courtesy of the official Samsung Mobile Twitter account. Technology enthusiasts, as well as those who can’t wait to see Samsung’s chosen direction, have been invited to ‘mark their calendars’ to ensure that they don’t miss out on the announcements that could shape Samsung’s experience during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

It really shouldn’t come as any surprise by now, but Samsung is choosing to remain tight lipped regarding the finer details of the event, choosing instead to throw a number of hints out and let the public come to their own conclusions.

There is definitely no guarantee that this year’s Unpacked event will be used to introduce the next-generation Galaxy S smartphone. With that said, the world’s largest smartphone vendor has made sure to include a number of subtle nudges to push our mindsets in that direction. The number ’5′ on the event invitation seems unnecessary if the Galaxy S5 wasn’t going to play some part in the process.

The latest Galaxy S smartphone has always been considered to be Samsung’s cash cow, so unless they have an internal change of product focus then it looks like February 24th will be the day we meet the S5.

We’ve been hearing for quite some time now that Samsung wanted to get the Galaxy S5 into the marketplace before April of this year. Lee Young-Hee of Samsung has already confirmed in an interview that the Galaxy S5 will have a strong focus on the display, as well as the “feel of the cover”. The final technical specifications of the purported device are yet to be confirmed, but you get the impression that Samsung has recognized the need to try and step away from the cheap, plastic exterior that has managed to taint the legacy of the devices that have come before it.

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News Beat 12:08  No comment

Samsung SM-W750V ‘Huron’ Windows Phone 8.1 Powered Device Leaked [Photo]

Samsung already took a stab at the Windows Phone 8 market with the ATIV range, and is now back with a bigger, badder model for Windows Phone 8.1. According to a snap posted by the ever-reliable Evleaks Twitter handle, the device is codenamed "Huron" (model SM-W750V), and as well as looking very much similar to the Galaxy S4 (as the ATIV S rather did the Galaxy S3), it will also be carried by Verizon Wireless in the United States.

It’s been a full year since the Korean outfit came through with the ATIV Odyssey, and with Windows Phone continuing to struggle, it’s hard to gauge how much value Samsung will see in churning out these WP devices. Even though the company has a reputation for offering great variety to its consumer base, if the ecosystem continues to play a very distant third to the likes of Android and iOS, Samsung may instead focus its attentions on Google’s ubiquitous platform, through which it sells millions of devices each year.

With Nokia in the process of being acquired by Microsoft, it’s very clear that the Redmond is in the smartphone war for the long haul, but at present, it’s very difficult to see things being turned around. Developers seem to be avoiding the Windows Phone Store like the plague, and with Samsung hardly appearing to invest much beyond a bunch of re-jigged version of flagship Android handsets to the cause, one strongly suspects that codename Huron will be the final release for Windows Phone from the company.

The Mobile World Congress kicks off later this month in Barcelona, Spain, which is the likely venue for Huron’s unveiling. We’d expect a fairly high-end hardware experience à la GS4, but until either Samsung officially offers the details or a further leak provides us with this info, it’s just an educated guess based upon previous releases.

Incidentally, MWC is also expected to play host to Nokia’s first Android handset, which, given the circumstances of Microsoft’s looming acquisition, could also be its last. Various leaks have pointed towards an interface blending elements of Nokia’s Asha and the tiles of Windows Phone, but even with substantial evidence that the device (Nokia X, Normandy) is in existence, there’s still a consensus that Microsoft will intervene and shelve the idea completely.

What do you think – is there any value in Samsung releasing a Windows Phone 8.1-ready device? And likewise, should Nokia be pulling such a move on Windows Phone by catering to Android? Do share your thoughts below!

(Source: Evleaks [Twitter])

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News Beat 12:05  No comment