Looks like more and more signs are pointing to Samsung releasing the rumored next-gen Galaxy S5 smartphone earlier in 2014 than previous Galaxy S launches.

The ball was apparently dropped at a New Year's party at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul, where Samsung's Vice President and Head of Design Strategy Dong-hoon Chang confirmed that a big announcement would be coming during the Mobile World Congress that takes place in Barcelona at the end of February.

While the wording is still vague and an offhand remark, it does fall in line with what we've heard about the Samsung Galaxy S5 so far. Samsung has been reported to be keen on releasing the Galaxy S5 sometime during Q1 2014. Samsung has typically released Galaxy S handsets just after the first quarter, right before summer starts.

Chang also confirmed that the Galaxy S5 would be made out of a new material — another indication that Samsung will probably release a Galaxy S5 with a metal casing. The Galaxy S5 is rumored to come in two main variants: a premium model with a metal casing and a cheaper version in a plastic shelling.

Bear in mind that Samsung has not officially confirmed any details about the Galaxy S5, but if Chang is right, it won't be long before the cat's out of the bag.

Rumored specs for the Samsung Galaxy S5 include a 5.25-inch 2K HD display with a 2560X1440 resolution pushing out 560 pixels per inch, a 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor or a 64-bit Exynos processor depending on the region, either 3GB or 4GB RAM, and a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera.

Check back with The Latino Post for more information on the Samsung Galaxy S5 as it becomes available.