Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime pops up again in unlikeliest of places

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It was just over a week after the Galaxy S5 went on sale worldwide that we first heard rumors of a “premium” model that would soon be following it, and since then, the “Galaxy S5 Prime” moniker has been popping up all over the place. It has appeared yet again this week in the unlikeliest of places.

A Galaxy S5 Prime with the “SM-G906K” model number has been spotted in a list of supported devices published by South Korean TV station Olleh TV. The station quickly removed the handset from its list after it went live, but not before visitors had the opportunity to grab screenshots and upload them to Twitter.

The handset pictured looks almost identical to the original Galaxy S5, but it’s wearing a case, so we don’t get to see its back panel, which is rumored to be made of metal. We do get to see its front, however, which is black — a color option not available with the current Galaxy S5 — and appears to sport a metal home button.

We must note that this image has been seen before, so it’s certainly possible that the person making up this list included the Galaxy S5 Prime accidentally based on recent news coverage. This doesn’t necessarily mean its launch is right around the corner, then.

Having said that, we’ve heard so much about the Galaxy S5 Prime over the past few weeks that it would seem the handset’s official unveiling is getting closer by the day. Not everyone will be excited to see it, however.

Samsung has received lots of criticism for the original Galaxy S5’s plastic form factor — which recently cost one design executive his job — and many have been calling for the South Korean company to follow in the footsteps of HTC and use premium materials like aluminum for its smartphones and tablets.

But those who eagerly adopted the Galaxy S5 early will no doubt be disappointed and upset to see a “Prime” model just a few months later. I’m a Galaxy S5 owner myself, and I’d have happily waited a while if I’d have known a better option was on the way.

This isn’t something Samsung will be too concerned about, of course. The company famously releases new devices every few months, and it’s something long-time Samsung customers will be used to. It’s rare a flagship device like the Galaxy S5 is replaced so soon after its debut, though.