Rumours of a Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini came almost immediately after the flagship S4 was announced by the South Korean manufacturer last month and images of the device appear to have leaked online.
The images come from Chinese microblogging network Weibo posted by user PunkPanda, whom Engadget claims has a good track record when it comes to early glimpses of Samsung handsets.
The images show the device next its big brother, the Galaxy S4, as well as details such as the rear cover with the same texturised look as the flagship model.
The specifications suggested for the Galaxy S4 Mini are a 4.3-inch display with a resolution of 960 x 540, a dual-core 1.6GHz processor and an 8MP camera.
Like the Galaxy S III Mini, this lower-cost and lower-spec device would provide an alternative to users that covet the full-grown S4 but can’t afford or simply don’t want the high-end handset.
According to sources speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Samsung may also be preparing to release a ruggedised S4 equipped with dust and water resistance this July.