samsung galaxy s4 leak 1

With Samsung’s Galaxy S IV scheduled to debut later this week in New York City, the leaks are coming full force.

Images posted to a Chinese forum show a phone that could be Samsung’s latest flagship device, reports Sammy Hub. Design-wise it looks very similar to the Galaxy S III and Samsung’s most recent phone, the Galaxy Note II, but the hardware specifications show that it’s something very powerful and new.

The phone, model number GT-I9502, features the same plastic case design as Samsung’s previous devices. It’s powered by a quad-core 1.8 gigahertz processor and features 2 gigabytes of RAM and a 1080p display, according to screenshots from the Antutu hardware test app.

AI Weekly

The must-read newsletter for AI and Big Data industry written by Khari Johnson, Kyle Wiggers, and Seth Colaner.

Included with VentureBeat Insider and VentureBeat VIP memberships.

It could be that this is just one of many hardware prototypes Samsung is testing for the Galaxy S IV. Last year Samsung went to great lengths to keep the Galaxy S III’s design a secret, which included secure test labs and multiple prototypes. Recent case leaks from the Galaxy S IV have also pointed to a slightly squarer design, which doesn’t quite match this leak. Personally, I’m hoping this leak is false — mostly because I’d like to see Samsung wow us with a hardware design for once. I’m getting a bit tired of the company’s over-reliance on cheap plastic cases, especially as competitors like HTC focus on stronger case materials.

Check back Thursday, March 14, as we’ll be covering the launch of the Galaxy S IV live.

VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact. Learn More