The smartphone rumor mill runs non-stop and its constant stream of information related to Samsung's Galaxy S7 now suggests that the new phone could be launched earlier than expected.

According to Gotta Be Mobile, Samsung reportedly wants to speed up the timeline for the Galaxy S7, and this could translate to the new smartphone hitting the market as early as January. 

Interestingly enough, the rumors of a January release date would slot in perfectly alongside the news coming from noted tipster @evleaks who also indicated recently that both Samsung and AT&T have already finalized the phone and have already moved into the testing phase.

A January release date for the Galaxy S7 would be a significant move up in the calendar for Samsung, as they have previously stuck to launching new flagships a bit further into the new calendar year.

In the past, Samsung has taken on a pattern of first announcing their new flagship unit sometime in February before officially releasing it later on in late March or April. Many believed that Samsung would be following the same pattern for the Galaxy S7, although the latest rumor is now putting that into question.

Aside from rumors of an earlier than expected release date, the Galaxy S7 is also reportedly set to receive a QWERTY keyboard cover, according to Phone Arena.

The QWERTY keyboard cover would presumably make it easier for some users to type on the Galaxy S7. It's also being reported that the Galaxy S7 Edge may also be getting its own QWERTY keyboard cover. Those who may be wondering how an accessory such as this works and feels, they can try it out on the Galaxy S6 Edge+.

There will also reportedly be two different versions of the Galaxy S7, with the two units featuring different screen sizes and processors, among other dissimilarities.