Galaxy S5 Rumored Features (OIS, Metallic Body)

Considering the end of the year is fast approaching, Samsung’s next year flagship smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S5, is not very far away – several months from now most likely. This means the South Korean company is already prepping the next Galaxy S smartphone. A recent report mentions that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S5 may be released in two versions, one running Google’s Android OS and another one running Tizen OS. It is also rumored that it will come with a camera that features optical image stabilization and a metallic body (aluminum and magnesium).

Operating System

Tizen is an open source Linux based operating system for mobile devices; the Tizen OS is governed by a Technical Steering Group (TSG) composed of Samsung and Intel. While the Tizen Operating System is Samsung’s own project, the South Korean company will not ditch Google’s Android OS, at least not now. It is speculated that Tizen will be used in Samsung’s mid range and low budget mobile devices. Samsung delayed the previously announced Tizen OS powered smartphone that was supposed to be released after the Galaxy S4 flagship.

Boo-Keun Yoon, co CEO of Samsung, said that his company intends to use Tizen on all the devices it manufactures (smartphones and tablets). However, for the near future, the most likely possibility for the Samsung Galaxy S5 to use Tizen is for it to be released in two versions: one running Android while the other running the Tizen OS.

Google already unveiled the next step for Android and that is Android 4.4 KitKat; this next version of Android will remain open source. Android 4.4 KitKat is rumored to be released next month and it is expected the update will be pushed to all flagship smartphones by 2014, after the Nexus line receives its push update. The Samsung Galaxy S4 will too be updated to Android 4.4 KitKat, which (being a major update) is expected to bring many new features and change many things.

Optical Image Stabilization

Another suggested feature of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S5 is a camera sensor with optical image stabilization. This feature would not be exclusive to the Samsung Galaxy S5 as there are a few already released high end smartphone using it, from Nokia (with PureView technology) and from HTC with ultrapixel technology. Optical image stabilization technology will dramatically improve pictures as it will reduce blur (which can be caused by the physical shaking of the hand while holding the camera or pressing the shutter button).

Besides reducing blur when taking photos in motion, optical image stabilization also adds several other improvements that we will list below:

• OIS compensates panning and tiliting the smartphone’s camera
• Stabilizes the captured picture by varying the optical path to the sensor
• It is also compatible with digital image stabilization
• if you zoom your smartphone’s camera to the max, OIS will make it very sensible to motion

Metallic Body

Samsung is known for using plastic in all of its devices (not just in smartphones from the Galaxy S series) and many people are unhappy with the South Korean company’s decision, a decision that is easy to understand since plastic is a very cheap material. It is rumored that Samsung sent engineers to Vietnam to evaluate the possibility that the next Samsung Galaxy S smartphones could use a metallic body of magnesium and aluminum. As mentioned, the use of plastic was widely criticized by customers and critics alike as it doesn’t give the premium look that a high end smartphone should offer. Apple, HTC and Sony are already using metallic components for their high end smartphones’ casings.

The is no official release date for the Samsung Galaxy S5 at the moment (in fact, the device has not even been officially announced) but it is speculated that Samsung ma release the next smartphone in the Galaxy S series next year, in March. The company is currently in the research and development phase for its next flagship’s specs and feature and it is expected to complete this phase before officially unveiling the Galaxy S5 to the public.

What is you most wanted feature for the Samsung Galaxy S5? And what are your thought on Samsung possibly ditching Android in the future? You can post your comments in the dedicated section below.