Samsung is apparently set to offer a ‘prime’ version of its Galaxy S5 device in the near future, as it was reported that the company has already shipped 10 million units of the current version.

The speculation about the S5 Prime fits with many of the rumours concerning the S5 ahead of its launch. These include the likelihood that it will have a metal body rather than plastic, and feature a much higher resolution display (2560×1440 and 565ppi, compared with 1920×1080 and 423 ppi.)

Previous reports said that the S5 Prime will also be powered by a different, Samsung-made processor.

According to the South Korean press, it could be launched imminently, with a price of around KRW900,000 ($877).

While the South Korean company is the number one global smartphone maker, there has been something of a feeling that it has lost some momentum at the high-end.

It was reported that sales of last year’s Galaxy S4 were lacklustre (although still stellar by most other vendors’ metrics), and the Galaxy S5 launch also saw it receiving less praise than in previous years.

Reports this week suggest that Samsung has already hit 10 million shipments for Galaxy S5, reaching this milestone a little more quickly than it did for the Galaxy S4.

Of course, there is a world of difference between shipped units and those actually sold to consumers, and so far there has been little in the way of guidance for the latter.

And it has also been reported that Samsung is offering the Galaxy S5 in more markets during its initial launch phase, which would mean it would need to increase shipments in order to ensure it has sufficient inventory available in each of these territories.

The Galaxy S5 also faces the same challenges as Apple’s iPhone, in that the premium smartphone market is not growing at a rate anywhere near the rest of the market, due to the fact that most potential customers already have a device – and therefore meaning it is defined by the pace of upgrades/replacements.

But unlike Apple, Samsung does offer a range of smartphones across price points, meaning it is able to capitalise on growth in lower-cost devices and in emerging markets.