Samsung Galaxy S4 Release Date: March 14 Event Gets More Teasing

The Samsung Galaxy S4 launch event is Mar. 14 in New York, and Samsung is building anticipation with new teaser material.

Just like the Galaxy S III launch last year, Samsung is keeping quiet about the specifics of the new phone but permitting -- perhaps even encouraging -- rampant speculation from fans and analysts.

Samsung has already sent out the paper invitations for the Mar. 14 event, to the chagrin of other phone manufacturers currently showcasing their work at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week.

On its blog, Samsung posted photos of the black paper invitation, which just says "Unpacked," with a white box logo on the front. The back says "SAMSUNG UNPACKED 2013 Episode 1," implying the Mar. 14 event is just the first of several unveilings, much like last year.

The package unfolds into a real box and includes a black media pass and a passcode to use on Samsung's Unboxed website, which for now is simply a registration page for media attending the event.

The unveiling will also be live streamed on Samsung's YouTube channel.

As for actual release dates, everything is still speculation at this point. Since Samsung as chosen to unveil the Galaxy S IV in the United States, it's possible it could focus its efforts on America sooner than past launches.

Typically, the European market gets high-end phones earlier, as a testing ground before a wide release in the United States. For now it seems like that's the plan, with the Galaxy S IV hitting Europe in late March or early April and crossing the Atlantic sometime in May or even June.

But if the turn toward America continues, there is the always the potential for a simultaneous -- or near simultaneous -- launch, with the Galaxy S IV landing worldwide at the same time.

Quite a feat to pull off, but an impressive one if successful.