Samsung Galaxy S5 leak details iPhone-style fingerprint scanner

We can count on our fingers the days left before the Samsung Galaxy S5 launches, and a new leak claims to reveal details of the new phone's fingerprint scanner.

SamMobile enthusiastically quotes "insiders" on the details of the S5's fingerprint scanner. Like the Apple iPhone 5S, the fingerprint reader is reported to be in the home button on the front of the phone beneath the screen -- as opposed to on the back, where the HTC One Max places its finger scanner.

Your fingertip is alleged to be your key to unlocking the S5, and signing into some websites. There's also a Personal Folder and Private Mode, which keeps stuff closed off if you unlock the phone using just a regular passcode instead of a finger.

To log in to the phone, swipe your fingertip across the scanner and it will read your finger and bosh, you're in. Worryingly, the leak warns against swiping too fast and against having any moisture on your fingers.

There are some clever touches however: you can register eight fingerprints -- presumably your eight fingers, rather than eight other people -- and each one fires up a different app or shortcut when you unlock the phone. And when you swipe your finger, you see an image of your fingerprint on the screen.

The the sequel to the Galaxy S4 will be unveiled in less than a week -- next Monday evening to be precise. Samsung unveils the new phone at Mobile World Congress, the annual mobile phone and tablet extravaganza kicking off at the weekend in Barcelona, Spain. We'll be there to bring you glossy videos, detailed photos and breathless first impressions of the S5 in action. In the meantime, check out our video on the S5's illustrious ancestors: