The next-generation Samsung Galaxy S5 may make its debut sooner than expected, launching as early as January 2014 if a new report is to be believed.

Samsung's Galaxy line of smartphones has proved to be very popular from the very beginning and the latest Galaxy S4, the company's current flagship, is considered one of the best Android smartphones available on the market.

The rumor mill, however, is always churning in anticipation of new devices, and speculations pertaining to the Galaxy S5 started to make rounds as soon as the Galaxy S4 launched.

Before the official unveiling, the current flagship was rumored to finally ditch the plastic casing Samsung seems so fond of and boast a metal body, but when the smartphone came out with the same polycarbonate design rumors about a metal-clad Galaxy started to shift toward the Galaxy S5.

The latest news now suggests that the Samsung Galaxy S5 might make its debut much sooner than previously thought. According to a new report from Korean site Naver, which is run by Samsung employees, the smartphone maker is preparing to launch the next-generation Galaxy flagship handset in January. This move would allegedly be part of a wider effort to boost slowing sales of the Galaxy S4.

If the report proves to be true, the Samsung Galaxy S5 would launch less than a year after its predecessor, as the current Galaxy S4 made its debut back in March this year. Naver further speculates that Samsung might unveil its next-generation Galaxy smartphone at the International CES 2014, which will take place on January 7-10.

Not much is known in terms of specs at this point, but the publication claims that the Samsung Galaxy S5 will come with a 16-megapixel camera and a Samsung Exynos processor rather than a Qualcomm chip. An eight-core chip is also speculated.

As always with leaks, rumors and speculations, however, it is advisable to take this report with a big grain of salt. Samsung is most likely working on its next-generation flagship smartphone already, but nothing is confirmed.

If the Galaxy S5 does finally take the step toward a metal design, it should be even more popular than the current Galaxy flagship, which sold a record 10 million units in less than a month after it hit commercial availability.