The Samsung Galaxy S4 has been seen on Samsung’s website on the software download page. The eagerly anticipated next generation smartphone appeared under the codename Samsung GT-I9500X.

Immediately analysts have been able to decipher from the code that Samsung is planning to release more than one version of the new device.

The special codename reveals that the handset will be one of the high end “Galaxy S” family devices, although the site does not reveal any specific features and specs about the smartphone.

The same GT-I9500 smartphone was seen in recent benchmark results and software development kits, and the repeated findings of the device have gotten tech. lovers excited.

According to recent rumors the Samsung Galaxy S4 will be released sometime in May 2013 and will follow in the footsteps of two of the company’s most successful releases in 2012. Last year Samsung released both its Samsung Galaxy S3 and its Samsung Galaxy Note 2 - both have taken the global smartphone market by storm and have been among the most successful devices in mobile phone history.

In other rumors it has been reported that Samsung could drop the Android OS from its Galaxy S4 device. The Google software could be dropped as the company wants to make a transition to its own new Tizen OS.

Those rumors are unconfirmed, but most are now expecting the S4 device to feature either the Tizen OS or at the very least the Android 4.2.1 when released. If this next generation device does continue to feature Android then it is almost certain that its follow up S5 will finally make the switch to Tizen.

Samsung has already spoken publicly about moving away from Android in the future, and it is planning to slowly begin transitioning all its future devices to feature Tizen. The company wants to take more control of its mobile experience and be in more control over what it delivers to its customers. At the moment it is very dependent on Google’s Android to provide a good user experience, and has little control over how the OS integrates with its smartphones. By moving to the Tizen OS it hopes to be able to customize its mobiles with specifically created OS’s to give users the maximum experience.

With Tizen, Samsung will control its own updates, features and hardware specifications.

However, the company has not yet announced specifically when and how it will make the shift away from Android to Tizen.

Here is a video preview of Tizen on a Samsung prototype:

Tags: samsung galaxy s3