While speaking to the Korea Times, an unnamed company official has revealed that the successor to Samsung's popular Galaxy S3 smartphone may be released as early as March 2013. The updated handset is thought to feature a 5-inch OLED display and full LTE support.
The source claims that the Korean firm intends to unveil the new flagship device at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February, with plans to hit retail in March 2013. The official stated that the handset will feature an increased screen size of five inches (up from 4.8 on the S3), as well as a more powerful quad-core processor. Although it's thought that there will be aesthetic changes to the device, the rectangular, curved-edge form-factor is unlikely to change significantly.
It's important to note that this report is unconfirmed and can therefore not be relied upon for accuracy. However, if true, the move could be seen as a direct response to Apple's new iPhone 5 handset, announced earlier this week. While the iPhone 5 will undoubtedly prove to be a popular handset, many were disappointed with its lack of innovative features, a perception that was only perpetuated by uncharacteristic pre-announcement leaks.
Samsung is Apple's key competitor in the smartphone market, with the two companies currently engaged in multiple law suits across the globe. The Korean firm's popular Galaxy S3 handset has sold more than 20 million units since its launch this spring (northern hemisphere) and the firm believes that it will ship in excess of 30 million units by the end of the year.
Source: Korea Times