Is This the Samsung Galaxy S IV?

SamMobile, a news and rumors website dedicated to new Samsung products, has published the

of the Galaxy S IV.

While the image's validity cannot be verified (a point SamMobile admits), it certainly appears to be more accurate -- and more plausible -- than some of the concept/speculative images that have appeared online.

If this image is real (or represents a prototype of the finished product), it appears that Samsung may be shooting for a button-free experience. This is not surprising; almost every player in the smartphone industry hates buttons, particularly Apple

. Buttons are viewed as an unnecessary moving component that can affect a device's size, shape and weight, and can also add to the expense of the device. The leaked image also indicates that Samsung has decided to widen the screen. This is not too surprising either; the South Korean manufacturer has been

of all of its smartphones. However, by making the screen a tad wider, Samsung seems to be following in the footsteps of Apple. While most Samsung devices have grown proportionately, the iPhone 5 is merely

than its many predecessors. As a result, users have gained more screen space to view websites and apps (particularly on the home screen where an extra row of apps is now displayed), but the size and presentation of existing videos and apps remains unchanged. So users may not feel as though they are getting a bigger screen (as opposed to when they pick up an iPad Mini, in which the transition is immediately apparent). Samsung may create a similar effect with the Galaxy S IV. This might be a necessary evil though, as it cannot proportionately expand the screen size forever. Eventually smartphone manufacturers will have to stop. By then, bendable and flexible screens should be ready to take their place.