Samsung Galaxy Alpha Release Date Bumped Up To Aug. 4: Rumors

The metal clad Samsung Galaxy Alpha, once rumored to be set for an Aug. 13 launch, could have its release date moved up to the 4th, SamMobile reports.

The website claims the device will be "officially announced" this coming Monday instead of "mid-August as other leaks had mentioned" in order to build interest in the Alpha before the company releases its highly-anticipaed large-screend Galaxy Note 4 smartphone.  

Samsung is readying a non-plastic phone following a 24 percent year-over-year drop in Q2 profits, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Kim Hyun-joon, senior vice president of Samsung Mobile, recently told analysts and investors that a large-screened phone would be arriving in the coming months, along with another phone made "of new materials," WSJ reports. The "large-screened" device is believed to be the Galaxy Note 4, which could launch at IFA 2014, while the second phone could very well be the Galaxy Alpha.

Recent rumors suggest device will not be coming with high-end hardware, as a Samsung developer console has reportedly confirmed it will only feature a 720p display — disappointing news for Sammy fans hoping for a top of the line iPhone 6 competitor. The display actually would be on-par with the one packed into the Galaxy S III.

Unlike the LTE-A model consumers may have hoped it would emulate, the Alpha reportedly packs a 720p screen, a fingerprint scanner, 32GB of storage (non-removable) and either an Exynos 5 Octa or a Snapdragon 800 processor. These specs, of course, are not flagship quality, to say the least. The Alpha will reportedly, however, arrive with the metallic design some have been pining for.

What do you make of the rumors surrounding the Galaxy Alpha? Are you interested in purchasing a metal Samsung smartphone even if it doesn't feature premium specs? Let us in on your thinking with a relevant comment.