Samsung says Galaxy S4 won't arrive before May

Those eagerly waiting for the Samsung Galaxy S4 may have to just keep on waiting, as the Korean firm is now saying that the handset will not launch until May at the earliest.

In an oddly candid use of social media, Samsung Lebanon answered a user's Facebook question of when the company's next Android smartphone will arrive.

While Samsung Lebanon didn't exactly say when the Galaxy S4 will be available, it did at reveal when it won't not be. "The Galaxy SIV won't be released before May 2013," Samsung Lebanon said on Wednesday.

The company elaborated on its answer Friday saying, "What we said is only trivial since all Galaxy S series are released between late April and early May, yet there's no way for anyone to know the exact release date :)"

TechRadar asked Samsung Mobile USA for comment and was told, "We do not comment on rumors or speculation."

No show at CES

The post-May launch seems to be supported by another bit of rumor popping up Friday that the Galaxy S4 won't be shown at CES.

Technically, the smartphone will be at CES, but according to South Korean site MT it could be restricted to showings behind closed doors with only the top executives from various wireless carriers.

The MT report suggests that Samsung Electronics Vice President Jay Lee will be at the show conducting the private sneak peeks, where he will show the latest prototype model rather than the finished device.

The report comes on the heels of an alleged leaked photo of the Galaxy S4 earlier in the day, which could actually be a picture of the prototype if it's legitimate at all.

Most notably on the leaked image was the lack of any physical buttons on the smartphone's face, instead opting for an elongated screen with touchscreen buttons.

It was already suspected that the Galaxy S4 could be a no show at CES, and could even skip the Mobile World Congress in February as well. If Samsung is targeting May for the smartphone's launch, then anxious Android users should have some news to look forward to once April rolls around.