Metaphorically speaking, "to be, or not to be: that is the question" seems to be the refrain adopted by the much anticipated next-generation Samsung Galaxy S4, as far as its launch date is concerned. Speculations surrounding the smartphone's launch date have dissected everything from a CES 2013 to MWC 2013 debut, but now, Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S4 will not hit the shelves before May 2013.

According to reports, Samsung Lebanon has laid to rest all speculations by confirming via its official Facebook page that the 5-inch Galaxy S4 will not be released prior to May 2013.

"Samsung has just confirmed on their official "Samsung Lebanon" Facebook page that the Galaxy S IV will not be released before May 2013," reported SamMobile.

Samsung Lebanon Facebook responded to a query posted by a fan 'Anthony Ghettas' who asked "hey, is there any news for the Samsung Galaxy S4 release?" The company responded with a terse "Hello Anthony, The Galaxy SIV won't be released before May 2013."

Speculation has been rife that the Galaxy S4 will sport a 5-inch SuperAMOLED Full HD 1080p display, have 2GB of RAM, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, and an Exynos 5450 CPU clocked at 2.0GHz. Recent rumors have suggested that the Galaxy S4 will be 0.39 inches (9mm) thick and come with an S Pen in tow.

The confirmation from Samsung Lebanon hints that the smartphone market leader is looking to stick to its release pattern for the Galaxy S lineup. Samsung released its Galaxy S2 and Galaxy S3 in May 2011 and May 2012, respectively, and could possibly stick to the one year window for the Galaxy S4 as well.

However, the launch date information should be taken with a pinch of salt as it is via a social networking site and not an official press announcement by Samsung. The company's Facebook pages don't exactly have the best track record when it comes to such announcements.