Preview: Samsung Galaxy Nexus, first Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich phone

First look

Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the long-awaited third generation Google Nexus smartphone. The device combines features of both Google Nexus and Samsung Galaxy S series. As its forerunners Nexus One and Nexus S initiated Android 2.2 Froyo and Android 2.3 Gingerbread, Galaxy Nexus is to become the first phone on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Samsung and Google have not still disclosed the release date of the –much-frenzied Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Most possibly, we can expect it in December this year.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus

What’s new

Rumors have been buzzing on the web on the release date of Samsung Galaxy Nexus. The device was actually slated to come out two weeks back. But Samsung then delayed its release in tribute to the demise of the former CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs. Samsung or Google have not yet revealed when the device will come up in U.S. As per some reports, the device has gone official in Hong Kong.

What’s been refreshed

Google has been bringing out its own smartphones on Android from 2009. First time, the company launched HTC manufactured Nexus One to debut Android 2.2 Froyo. Later, in 2010, the web search engine giant associated with Samsung to float up Nexus S. The Mountain View has again reached in a deal with Samsung to realize its third Nexus phone Samsung Galaxy Nexus. The new smartphone is with almost the same features and capacities of Samsung’s famous Galaxy S series.

Features walkthrough

Incredible display: Samsung is the leader in display technology. The new Nexus smartphone from its plant is to have a large 4.65-inch Super AMOLED HD display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. Thanks to the super quality HD display, you will be able to enjoy video, images and web browsing in great quality.

Size and weight: Like its Galaxy S II, Samsung Galaxy Nexus is also a thin smartphone. With a thinness of 0.35-inch and a weight of 4.8 ounces, the new Nexus phone will steal the attention of customers across the global markets.

Better cameras: The third generation Google Nexus sports a 5-megapixel camera in the rear panel and a 1.3-megpixel camera in the front panel.

Android Ice Cream Sandwich: It is primarily the most significant feature of Samsung Galaxy Nexus. It is to become the first smartphone on the still-unannounced Ice Cream Sandwich, a blend of smartphone-friendly Android 2.3 Gingerbread and tablet-only Android 3.0 Honeycomb.

What’s good

Sporting a TI OMAP 4460 dual core Cortex A9 processor and 1GB RAM Samsung Galaxy Nexus will perform superbly. If you love Android OS, Galaxy Nexus will be your phone. Running on the latest version of Android, it will indeed be a fantastic product of the fall. The year-end shoppers will be buying the smartphone with no hesitation.

What’s not so good

The device is only to feature a 5-megapixel camera in the rear panel. In fact, Samsung’s latest smartphone Galaxy S II has an 8-megapixel camera. Most of fresh smartphones in the market including Apple iPhone 4S are with 8-megapixel camera. Galaxy Nexus may not be able to attract a customer, who wants an enhanced camera on his smartphone, especially when they will have many other alternatives.

Price and availability

Samsung and Google have not yet announced the price and release date of the smartphone. As per rumors, Galaxy Nexus will arrive in stores just ahead of Christmas.

Wrap-up

Google has been successfully marketing it own Android phones for last two years. As of now, the web giant has hired Samsung to build the third generation Nexus phone. For a long period, rumor mills had been talking about a possible Droid Prime from Samsung as the next Nexus phone. But now it is almost clear that it is not a Droid Prime, but Galaxy Nexus that is to become the third Nexus phone on Ice Cream Sandwich. The new version of Android has to take on two belligerent competitors in Windows Phone 7.5 Mango and Apple iOS 5. Both the operating system upgrades have already arrived in stores. It is now the turn of Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich.