Samsung's rumoured Galaxy-branded smartwatch may have been leaked online in what is rumoured to be a press photograph, Digital Spy said.

The device, dubbed the Samsung Galaxy Altius, appears to be a piece of wearable technology with a touchscreen interface as well as music, messaging and e-reader capabilities.

The images were leaked onto a Korean messageboard and spotted by SlashGear, who are unable to verify their authenticity.

Rumours of a Samsung smartwatch ignited earlier this week when reports of a trio of new Galaxy devices emerged, including one that comes with a list of accessories such as an armband, bike mount and pouch.

The news follows reports that Apple has a large development team working on an iOS-powered watch with a curved display, giving rise to speculation that Samsung could challenge them on this front.

Samsung is expected to launch its flagship Galaxy S4 smartphone in May, with a 'Mini' iteration tipped to follow shortly after.