Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 3 Active Both to be Waterproof and Dustproof at Launch

By Vincent Funaro, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, October 08, 2013

Samsung will release the Galaxy S5 sometime in 2014 and the handset will be water and dust proof out of the box.

Instead of releasing a separate version of the handset with these capabilities, the company will equip the default version of the flagship for harsh conditions, according to a new report from Korea-based ET News. Samsung is also expected to release an Active version of the Note 3 before the end of this year.

The company would be mimicking Sony with this strategy as the Japan-based electronics firm recently unveiled the Xperia Z1 that will also be dust and water proof.

Samsung will water proof the Galaxy S5 because of the surprising success it had with the S4 Active model. The rugged appeal will also help the company to shake the image of its devices being less premium in terms of appearance, in comparison to its competitors.

The company is currently experimenting with new materials and could make changes in its supply chain, according to ET News. This is all an effort to build better rugged handsets than the competition. However, this is only a rumor at this time, as nothing has been confirmed by Samsung concerning either of these devices.

Rumors that include other specs for the Samsung Galaxy S5 are already beginning to surface.

A new report from the Japanese tech website Tech On confirms that Samsung is developing a lens that will improve the overall performance of the 13-megapixel camera found on the Galaxy S4.

The new point-and-shooter that will be found on the flagship's successor could be equipped with OIS, also known as Optical Image Stabilization. This technology will correct angular errors of up to 1.5 degrees and will double the anti-shake correction found on many high end smartphone cameras currently in the market.