Samsung Galaxy S5 apps leaked: S Note, WatchON, Gear Manager, and more [APK]

There’s less than a month before the Galaxy S5 launches worldwide in more than 150 markets, and as tradition would dictate, some of the apps from the upcoming flagship have been leaked online. An XDA forum member has leaked the APK files for numerous Samsung apps from the S5, with the full list including S Note, WatchON, Gear Manager, Gear Fit Manager, Calculator, S Health, and S Translator. As we exclusively reported before the S5 was announced, all of these apps sport revamped interfaces with a flatter and cleaner look, and you should be able to use them on existing devices like the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3, though you’ll likely need to be using Android 4.4.2 KitKat for these apps to work.

Users on XDA report that S Health isn’t working, but the rest of the apps should work pretty well. All of them can be installed as normal APK files, though you might need to uninstall/freeze previous versions of some apps in order to get them to install successfully (which, if you hadn’t already guessed, require root access.) Oh, and naturally, the Gear Fit Manager app won’t be too useful unless you somehow have a Gear Fit in your possession, though you can still give it a visual walkthrough if you so desire.

Head over to this link to download the APK files for the aforementioned apps.

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Samsung Galaxy S5 - We Got the Official Wrap Up on All that You Can Expect

Mobile World Congress is quickly approaching, and it’s a pretty safe bet that we’ll be seeing the Samsung Galaxy S5 come February 24th. While Samsung has yet to officially confirm that the handset will be shown off at their MWC press conference, their current teasers make it pretty obvious.

Okay, but what exactly can we expect from the Galaxy S5 when it arrives? Sometimes we have such solid, unified rumors that it’s easy to say for sure “this is exactly what the next flagship will offer” . Unfortunately, this isn’t one of those times.

There are a ton of rumors regarding the GS5, and it’s hard to say what the rumor mill got right, and what is flat wrong. Nonetheless, we can at least take a look at some of the most prevalent rumors and reports to come up with at least a rough picture of what the next Galaxy S flagship will offer.

Design

More than one executive has made it clear that the GS5 will be a fairly different animal from the Galaxy S4. In fact, Lee Young Hee, executive vice president of Samsung’s mobile business, recently mentioned that the “display and the feel of the cover” would be the most noticeable changes.

Samsung Galaxy S5 will reportedly come in two variants

So what exactly does that mean? Turning to the rumor mill, we’ve heard that the Samsung Galaxy S5 will reportedly come in (at least) two variants, one with a plastic casing, and the other with at least a partially metallic design.

The former of these models is said to be a base version with slightly lesser specs, and will likely at least somewhat follow the design language introduced with the Galaxy Note 3. If the metal version does in fact exist, it is expected to have more premium specs and may or may not debut under the Galaxy F name.

As for the front of the device? Rumors suggest that the device may have a 2K display, though it is probable that the handset will still rock physical buttons and a design that is pretty close to what we’ve seen from Samsung in the past.

Galaxy S5 Concept

Hardware

Over the last few months, we’ve heard varying reports about what kind of hardware the Galaxy S5 will pack. At one point, it was believed we’d see an iris scanner, now this is looking unlikely.

Based on the most recent (and likely most accurate) ‘leaks’, the GS5 is expected to debut with a 5.24-inch 2560×1440 AMOLED display with 560ppi. It is important to note, however, that a New York Times report claims that the handset will actually have a 1080p display, and not a so-called 2k screen. So which rumor is right? Perhaps both. If Samsung really is preparing two versions of the handset, it is possible that the base model will have a 1080p display and the premium model will instead opt for a 2560×1440 resolution.

Aside from the display, the Galaxy S5 is rumored to come in both a Snapdragon 800 (or maybe 805) and an Exynos variant. Other specs include 3GB RAM, 32/64GB storage, 16MP rear cam, a 3.2MP front cam and a 3200 mAh battery. It’s unknown whether the above-mentioned specs will be roughly the same for both the metal and plastic variants or not.

The new fingerprint scanner will be integrated into the physical home button.

Another new hardware element for the GS5 could be a fingerprint scanner, as several reports have mentioned in the past. Originally we heard that the scanner might somehow be integrated into the display, but a new report from SamMobile tells a different story.

The new fingerprint scanner is now believed to be integrated into the physical home button. Activating the reader will require you to keep your finger flat while swiping across the home button. Reportedly the reader will be able to recognize/store up to 8 different fingerprints.

Software

Late last month a report surfaced claiming that Samsung and Google had reached a new agreement that would cause several changes take place in the world of Android. Reportedly, one of these changes would be that Samsung would scale back some of its own ecosystem efforts in order to better represent Google’s vision for Android.

We might see less focus on some Samsung features like the Hub this time around

We don’t know how much this agreement (if it is true) will influence the Galaxy S5’s software, but we do know that leaked GS5 app screenshots have shown off a look that is flatter, more vibrant and has a KitKat-esque design to it.

Some of the leaked images include a redesigned S-Voice app, a new Life logging app and a redesignedS-Health app.

Bottom-line, while Samsung will certainly bring plenty of new software features to the table with the GS5, we might see less focus on some Samsung features like the Hub this time around, and more of a push towards Google services and UI design language.

Camera

Although the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Note 3 both have rather impressive cameras, expect the Galaxy S5 to be a pretty big leap forward, at least if all the rumors prove correct.

The Galaxy S5 is expected to feature a 16MP sensor on the back and may even feature ISOCELL technology. For those that don’t know what this is, basically this new technology promises increased light sensitivity and higher color fidelity, even in poor lighting conditions.

We also imagine that the Galaxy S5 will include software improvements to better take advantage of the 16MP shooter. Very little information has been leaked about the new software, but we expect that its UI will at least be redesigned to fall in line with the other updated GS5 apps.

Galaxy Gear 2 support

Despite the fact that the Galaxy Gear hasn’t been on the market very long, we’ve heard several rumorsthat indicate the Galaxy S5 will launch alongside a next-gen Galaxy Gear. Whether this is a full-blow successor or just a revised variant remains unclear. If a new version of the Galaxy Gear is on its way, we can expect some form of integration with the Galaxy S5.

Whether this is a full-blow successor or just a revised variant remains unclear.

So why would Samsung release the Galaxy Gear 2 so quickly after the original? Since the first-gen hardware received mixed reviews, it’s possible that the company wants to quickly address their mistakes in order to make a bigger dent in the wearable market.

Keep in mind that we don’t know with any certainty whether or not the Galaxy Gear 2 is really on its way in time for MWC.

Pricing and Availability

It’s obviously too early to say exactly when the Galaxy S5 will hit store shelves, where or how much it will cost. That said, we can look back at Samsung’s history to get a better idea on pricing.

Considering the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S4 were both $199.99 with two year contract and around $550-600 outright, it’s likely that at least one of the Galaxy S5 models will follow suit. Several rumors have suggested that the premium Galaxy S5 will cost more than past generation Galaxy S handsets, however. How much more is anyone’s guess.

As for availability? Lee Young Hee was quoted not too long ago stating that the Galaxy S5 release date will fall somewhere in March or April. Considering the GS5 will be unveiled at the tail end of February, we imagine early-to-mid March seems likely, but that’s just speculation on our part.

We aren’t so sure on what countries will get the handset when, but we do know that the Galaxy S4 launched with on 327 carriers in 155 countries, so we imagine a similar (or even larger) rollout will occur for the GS5.

Wrap up

Although the Galaxy S4 was a solid handset, there were many folks that felt it was too similar to the Galaxy S3 in terms of design and overall device size (even if the display was larger). We might not know all the specifics about the GS5, but we are fairly confident, based on both rumors and Samsung exec remarks, that the Korean giant is intent on delivering an experience that will truly stand out and take the Galaxy S brand to whole new heights.

What do you think of the Galaxy S5, based on the current rumors? What killer features do you hope to see offered with the next-gen Samsung flagship? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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Galaxy S5 might feature a bezel-free screen, embedded fingerprint scanner

The Galaxy S5 rumors are coming in thick and fast now. Last week, it was revealed that Samsung is working on a new fingerprint scanner technology that would make its way onto the Galaxy S5. Today’s rumor corroborates that claim, while further stating that the S5 would come without a home button altogether, and instead feature an embedded fingerprint scanner in its place. An anonymous industry source said that the sensor would allegedly be located on the lower left and right hand corners of the screen, and went on to add that in the coming months, the finger-scanning technology can be utilised anywhere on the screen. “Scanning fingerprints on the entire screen, which was much talked about recently, will be available in the latter half of this year as there are still technological hurdles to overcome.”

Furthermore, the source revealed that Samsung is considering offering a bezel-free screen with the Galaxy S5. In addition to the zero bezel size, the screen would be slimmer as Samsung is working on a screen technology that eliminates two layers.  Currently, a screen has four layers, two of which feature ITO (indium tin oxide) films. The new screen would come without these layers. Such a panel would allow for better viewing angles, along with better energy efficiency and increased sensitivity. More sensitivity would allow users to interact with the screen with gloves on. It is not yet clear as to whether any of these technologies would find their way onto the Galaxy S5, but at least we don’t have to wait for long to find out. The South Korean manufacturer is set to unveil the device in two weeks’ time at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and we will be there to bring you all the latest news from the world of Samsung.

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Samsung’s Unpacked 5 teaser hints at new interface for the Galaxy S5

Samsung’s official Twitter account has just posted a teaser for the company’s Unpacked 5 event, where the Galaxy S5 is expected to be announced, and the accompanying image might have given away the fact that the S5 will sport a considerably different interface. The image talks of various things, such as Speed (a hint at the new Exynos processor inside the device), Privacy, Outdoor (could the S5 be ruggedized?), Fun, Social, and Fitness, and the way the icons in the image are designed are a good indication of the expected redesign that Samsung’s software is expected to get with the coming of the Galaxy S5 (the icon for S Health, for example, isn’t the same as the one seen on Samsung devices today.)

The Galaxy S5 is expected to sport a 5.25-inch display of 2K resolution, an Exynos 6 octa-core / quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB of RAM, 16-megapixel rear camera, 3.2-megapixel front-facing camera, 32/64 GB of storage and a microSD slot, a 3,200 mAh battery, and Android 4.4 KitKat with a refined user interface. It will come in both a metallic and plastic variant, most likely with a fingerprint scanner on-board, and launch in markets sometime in March.

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Galaxy S5 fingerprint sensor will cover whole screen

Samsung's Galaxy S5 could offer a full-screen fingerprint sensor to outdo the iPhone 5S.

(Credit: Scott Stein/CNET)

Samsung's Galaxy S5 will use its entire screen as one giant fingerprint sensor. At least, that's a new tidbit served up by someone considered a Samsung insider.

Leaking the information to blog site iTechAddict, the "well-placed insider within Samsung India R&D" said that the fingerprint sensor will be the screen itself. Theoretically, that means users would be able to touch anywhere on the display to unlock the phone and gain access to secure apps and content.

How reliable is this intelligence? iTechAddict said that tips from this insider have been on the money in the past, including news about the Android 4.4 KitKat rollout date for Samsung's Galaxy lineup. Known leaker @evleaks and KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also have hinted at a fingerprint sensor for the S5.

Apple already offers a Touch ID fingerprint sensor on its iPhone 5S, but that one can only be triggered by holding down the Home button. Developing a sensor that can encompass the whole screen seems a logical next step, especially if Samsung wants to one-up its arch rival with its next flagship phone.

Still the rumors should be taken with the usual grain of salt. The enhancements to the S5 could be much more low key than these reports suggest.

Speculation has hinted that the new phone might come with a 2K ultra high-resolution screen or even an eye scanner. "A person with knowledge of the plans who was briefed on the specifications" told The New York Times that neither of these features will pop up, though the S5 will offer a beefier process and better camera.

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Galaxy S5 to have better one-hand functions and new music player

Samsung has received a couple of patents which were published on the Korean patent information website called K.I.P.R.I.S. These are probably of their new interface for the GALAXY S5. Samsung has received patents for one handed operation on big smartphones. According to the patent Samsung gives everyone the opportunity to choose which corner they want to use this function. Customers are now able to use one hand and select all kinds of functions such as apps, notifications or favorite calls. We have to say that this looks pretty smart to use on big smartphones with huge displays!

Secondly Samsung received patents on probably their new music interface which is deeply integrated with social media. If we will see this application called “Friends Music” back on the GALAXY S5 remains the question. But one thing is sure, Samsung’s VP wants better software for their mobile devices and from the looks of it, they are busy with it!

According to the latest rumours will Samsung introduce the GALAXY S5 on day before MWC 2014. We of Celluloco.com will be live in Barcelona to cover MWC.

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Galaxy S5 won’t have magnetic resonance wireless charging, tech not marketable according to Samsung

Back in October, rumors emerged about the possibility of Samsung implementing magnetic resonance wireless charging, a technology that allows wireless charging of a device without direct contact with the charging pad, on its smartphones. The rumors suggested that the technology would find its way into phones from mid-2014, but some were still hopeful that it would be ready in time to find a place on the Galaxy S5.

However, that’s not likely to happen, according to a report from the Korean media. Industry officials have said that Samsung might skip on putting magnetic resonance wireless charging on the Galaxy S5; apparently, the technology does exist and it won’t be difficult to implement it on the S5, but Samsung doesn’t believe the technology is marketable yet and isn’t sure of whether consumers will be willing to cough up extra cash for the feature.

Samsung’s reluctance does make sense, as even standard wireless charging is a feature that hasn’t caught on in the market yet (mainly due to the cost of wireless chargers, and lack of the necessary marketing explaining why the feature is useful) – couple that with the already excessive prices of smartphones these days, and it could be a while before it becomes feasible to implement the contact-less wireless charging tech in consumer devices.

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Samsung Galaxy S5 to launch on February 23, at 6PM, in Barcelona

Eldar Murtazin, a well-connected blogger with a relatively good track-record when it comes to leaks, just tweeted that the Galaxy S5 will launch on February 23, ahead of MWC 2014 Barcelona.

Murtazin claims the Galaxy S5 will be announced on Sunday, February 23, at 6PM, and that it will be in stores by the end of April, particularly in high end gadgets stores like Celluloco.com

There’s no way for us to verify Murtazin’s claims, but there is no obvious alarm bell ringing about his prediction either. What’s more, Eldar Murtazin predicted the launch date of the Galaxy S4 almost to the day last year, which lends his words a lot of credibility.

Rumors that Samsung would accelerate the release of the Galaxy S5 have been surfacing periodically for about half a year now. On January 2, Korean media reported that a Samsung VP stated — off the record — the device would be launched around MWC. Samsung did not confirm or deny that report, but on January 9 another executive revealed – on the record – that the device will be released by the end of April, which suggests it would be introduced in February-March.

While Samsung used its standalone Unpacked events to unveil the last two versions of the Galaxy S, it continued to launch its other big flagship, the Note series, ahead of IFA Berlin in September. It’s possible that the Korean giant is adopting the same strategy for the Galaxy S5. MWC 2014 will officially open on Monday, February 24, 2014.

An earlier release would allow Samsung to steal some of the thunder of competitors like Sony, HTC, and LG, which are all preparing new flagships for the first quarter of the year.

Murtazin also vaguely “confirms” the specs that have been floating around in connection with the Galaxy S5 (5.25-inch 2K display, S800, 3GB RAM), as well as the launch of a new TouchWiz version. In a different tweet, the Russian blogger claims the software of the S5 will have a different name, but that essentially it will be an evolved TouchWiz.

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Samsung’s Galaxy S5 may have a home screen akin to Google Now

Samsung’s TouchWiz software is getting long in the tooth, even with small yearly tweaks. Perhaps that’s why the company is rumored to be revamping the interface it uses atop Android, starting with the upcoming Galaxy S5. What might it look like?Leading tipster Celluloco.com has a reported screenshot, showing a home screen that looks similar to Google Now.

The home screen interface appears to be a cross between contextual cards and a stream of communication from contacts and social networks. Google Now, which just arrived on the desktop last week, offers similar information in a card view: local weather, package tracking, the latest sports scores for your favorite team and health tracking information, for example.

If this type of home screen ends up powering the Galaxy S5, I’d expect the experience to mimic that of Facebook Home in the form of a launcher. Essentially, the main screen provides instant information with frequent updates and the ability to interact with the data. A button press would then take you to all of your installed Android apps.

It’s an interesting approach because it provides more useful information at a glance. And after four years of the reworked icons in TouchWiz, it’s one I’m hoping we see on Samsung’s next flagship smartphone.

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Korea Herald: Iris scanner is out, fingerprint sensor is in on the Galaxy S5

Fingerprint Cards AB

According to a Korean publication, the Galaxy S5 will feature a fingerprint scanner rather than an iris scanner when it comes out later this year.

The Korea Herald cites industry sources claiming Samsung will use a fingerprint scanner on its upcoming flagship because iris scanning technology is not mature enough for deployment. “Among the different types of biometric sensors that Samsung is testing for its Galaxy S5, the tech giant will go for fingerprint authentication rather than unintuitive user experience of iris recognition”, said the unnamed source.

Lee Young Hee, VP of Samsung’s mobile business, recently told Bloomberg that the company is “considering the possibility” of equipping the S5 with an iris scanner. Lee’s statement was non-committing though, and for good reasons, apparently. According to another market source, iris scanning would require a separate camera with a “completely different design”, which would add cost and bulk to the product. We’re still one or two years away from deployment on a commercial scale, reports the Korea Herald, which also notes that Korean biometric tech companies denied they were supplying iris scanners to Samsung.

Fingerprint Cards AB

Samsung is said to be working on incorporating the fingerprint scanner right into the display, but it’s not clear from the report if the Galaxy S5 will feature this type of sensor. Fingerprint Cards AB, a Swedish company developing biometric technology, recently stated that it partnered with global players including some from South Korea. The company develops both swipe-based (HTC One Max-type) sensors and touch-based (iPhone 5S-type) sensors.

As usual, a lot of rumors and unconfirmed reports are circling around Samsung’s new Galaxy S. Even though Korea Herald is among the most reputable English-language Korean publications, we are definitively taking this latest report with a grain of salt.

What should Samsung do to make the fingerprint scanner work on the Galaxy S5?

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Galaxy S5 may feature passive stylus support and better air gestures

The upcoming Samsung Galaxy S5 may feature improved gesture recognition and support for passive stylus input thanks to an advanced touch controller supplied by Synaptics.

Stifel, a major financial services firm, raised its target share price for Synaptics yesterday, and told investors that the company secured a deal with Samsung to put its new touch controller in the Galaxy S5. This isn’t a surprise, given that Synaptics, one of the largest suppliers of human interface solutions, has supplied touch controllers for both the Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy Note 3 last year.

According to ETNews, a Korean IT news portal, the new controller from Synaptics will improve the recognition of hover gestures and bring support for passive stylus input to Samsung’s high-end devices in 2014.

On the Galaxy S4, Samsung introduced Air View, which lets you hover your finger over the screen to interact with interface elements, much in the way you would hover the mouse cursor over an item to see its description on your PC.

The new controller from Synaptics will make Air View more accurate and reliable, and increase the range of detection, according to ETNews, citing industry sources.

The new controller will let Samsung equip the Galaxy S5 with support for passive styluses. Passive styluses don’t communicate with the device, the way an active stylus like the S Pen of the Note series does, acting instead like an extension of your finger. Synaptics’ touchscreen panel can recognize styluses with tips of down to 2.5pi, allowing for finer input and better handwriting recognition.

Looking at Synaptics’ products, one controller that fits the description is the ClearPad 3350, first introduced on the Nexus 5.

We can’t say for sure that the S5 will feature passive stylus support, but that seems a strong possibility at this point, considering Samsung’s past efforts to differentiate its flagships through new forms of input. The latest official info pegs the release of the S5 by April, and it’s likely that more and more details will leak by then.

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EXCLUSIVE: Galaxy S5 specs confirmed, Galaxy S5 mini and S5 Zoom also in the pipeline

Ever since rumors surrounding the Galaxy S5 started to evolve from faint rumblings to full-blown tremors, there have been multiple questions raised about Samsung’s next flagship smartphone. Will it be made of metal or plastic? Would it be powered by the new Exynos 6 / Snapdragon 805 processor? Has Samsung finally implemented hardware optical image stabilization in the camera? Well, thanks to our insider, we can now answer quite a few of those questions, and also confirm some of the specs of the Galaxy S5 mini and Galaxy S5 Zoom, which are also in the works.

GALAXY S5

First, let’s get the most mysterious thing about the Galaxy S5 out of the way: Yes, it will come in both metal and plastic versions as has been rumored, with the metal version costing around 800 Euros and the plastic model coming in at around 650 Euros. It’s pretty much similar to what Apple has done, offering both a plastic iPhone (iPhone 5c) and a metallic one (iPhone 5s). Naturally, Samsung will be pushing people towards buying the much-anticipated metallic model – we weren’t given more details, but if a recent rumor is to be believed, the phone will basically have just a metallic back plate while being constructed of metal on the sides and front. Also, it’s still no telling whether the premium metal version will be named Galaxy F or something else.

As expected, the Galaxy S5 will sport an AMOLED display of 2,560×1,440 resolution; we were unable to confirm the size, though it should be around 5.25-inches as has been rumored often. The back of the phone will sport a 16-megapixel camera, though it’s unclear if it will have hardware optical image stabilization (OIS). Underneath, the Galaxy S5 will either be powered by the Exynos 6 processor or a Snapdragon 805, depending on whether it’s LTE-enabled or not. On the software front, the S5 will run on Android 4.4 KitKat, which is unsurprising.

While the Exynos 6 CPU was expected - which will likely be capable of operating all eight cores simultaneously - to power the handset, it’s only just been confirmed that the S5 will become one of the first smartphones to sport the Snapdragon 805 CPU, which should offer considerably higher performance than the Snapdragon 800 in the Galaxy Note 3, especially in the graphics department. It’s unclear what factors will decide what processor Samsung uses on which model – the metal version will likely have 64-bit support with the Exynos 6 processor, while the plastic model could be powered by the Snapdragon CPU (we’ve been told that LTE isn’t an issue for the Exynos CPU anymore, so we could see a change in tradition and find the plastic version of the phone with only the Snapdragon CPU in every country.)

When can we expect to see the Galaxy S5 come to market? Well, an announcement should be made in March, likely in London, followed by a launch in early April. We’re still unclear on a few details, such as the amount of RAM, battery capacity, and whether photos will be more blur-free through hardware OIS, but we’re pretty sure those details will show up in the coming weeks, as we near the official unveiling of one of the most anticipated smartphones of 2014.

Here’s a recap of the Galaxy S5′s specs:

• - QHD (2,560×1,440) Super AMOLED display
• - Exynos 6 / Snapdragon 805 processor
• - 16-megapixel camera
• - Android 4.4 KitKat
• - Plastic/metal versions

GALAXY S5 MINI, GALAXY S5 ZOOM

We were also able to confirm that Samsung will be launching the Galaxy S5 mini and Galaxy S5 Zoom sometime after the Galaxy S5, with an official unveiling taking place sometime in June and May respectively. Both devices will have a Super AMOLED display (4.8-inch on the Galaxy S4 Zoom, of qHD resolution) and run on Android 4.4 KitKat out of the box, which are all the details we have on their hardware at the moment. The S5 mini wasn’t really unexpected, but it looks like Samsung will also be releasing yearly upgrades to its Galaxy S Zoom camera-centric smartphones, hopefully with a better design than the one on the Galaxy S4 Zoom.

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