Samsung unveils Galaxy S5 smartphone with fingerprint reader

Samsung Electronics Co unveiled a Galaxy S5 smartphone with fingerprint reader sporting a bigger screen than the current model as Asia's biggest technology company lined up another smartphone to keep consumers away from Apple Inc's high-end iPhones.

The water-resistant phone is set to go on sale 11 April with features that included a longer-lasting battery than the S4, according to Min Cho, marketing director at Samsung's mobile unit.

The device, seen at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, uses Google Inc Android software with a download booster for fourth-generation networks and Wi-Fi.

Demand for high-end Galaxy devices slowed after the release of new iPhones in September, crimping sales in the most profitable segment of the market that saw Samsung's earnings growth as the slowest since 2011.

Samsung announced its first wearable devices using Tizen software and has plans for more smartphones this year to taken on Apple as also Chinese producers packing advanced features into inexpensive models.

Bloomberg quoted Oh Sang Woo, a Seoul-based analyst at Leading Investment & Securities Co as saying he did not think the new S5 smartphone itself would be a major game changer. He added, still, it was expected to sell about 50 to 60 million units a year so it would contribute big to Samsung's earnings.

Samsung also debuted its newest smart watches, the Galaxy Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo on the eve of the Mobile World Congress.

At Mobile World Congress 2014, Samsung seeks to redefine its position as the leader in wearables with a whole new lineup. The company launched its Galaxy Gear smartwatch just five months ago, and was now intent on shelving that unit for not one, but two new models: the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo.

Coupled with the refreshed smartwatch lineup was the Gear Fit, a fitness band that comes with a 1.84-inch full-colour screen that takes forward Samsung's continually aggressive and fast-moving push into wearables. Pricing details for the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo had not been released, but according to Samsung, both would ship in April.