Several reports have claimed the Samsung Galaxy S24 lineup could be arriving earlier than usual, with many observers now expecting a January release. A new regulatory filing offers some proof that they may be right.
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has certified a new Samsung handset with the model number SM-928B/DS — the same one believed to be associated with the Galaxy S24 Ultra, according to 91mobiles. The certification, which is listed on the BIS website, is usually awarded just weeks before a smartphone’s launch, suggesting a Galaxy S24 release could be happening soon.
The BIS listing doesn’t share any details on the smartphone, but earlier in November, the Bluetooth SIG website similarly listed a Samsung Galaxy S24 model, believed to be the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and said that it will ship with the S Pen stylus.
This spate of regulatory clearances comes at a time when rumors around the Galaxy S24 release date point to Samsung moving up the launch. Earlier this year, the Galaxy S23 launched in February, which was also the month the Galaxy S22 first appeared in 2022.
Most recent, a report out of Korea claimed Samsung had internally decided on a January 17 release date for the Galaxy S24 with a Galaxy Unpacked 2024 event reportedly taking place in San Jose, California. Under this schedule, Galaxy S24 preorders would start January 19, followed by a release by the end of January.
Samsung hasn’t commented on that report, nor has it shared much of its plans about the upcoming phones, but all signs point to a sizable upgrade across the entire line. For its part, the Galaxy S24 Ultra could ship with a 6.8-inch AMOLED display and run on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. There are also reports that Samsung will be opting for a titanium frame in the S24 Ultra (and possibly other models). Samsung has also hinted that AI is going to have an outsized role with its new phones.
If the Galaxy S24 does, in fact, make an early appearance at the start of 2024, it may not be alone. OnePlus has already confirmed plans to launch the OnePlus 12 in China next month; a global launch of that flagship could follow in early 2024, giving the Galaxy S24 some competition right out of the gate.
