Samsung Galaxy Nexus: 4.65-inch HD display, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Google, Handhelds

Google's next iteration of its mobile operating system has officially been dubbed Android 4.0 and it will be available for the first time on Samsung's new Galaxy Nexus smartphone.

The two companies lifted the curtain on the OS affectionately known as Ice Cream Sandwich and the Galaxy Nexus smartphone that will be the first to run it in Hong Kong late Tuesday evening (promotional video after the break.) Google said Android 4.0 would be immediately available to developers. Samsung will begin shipping the Galaxy Nexus worldwide in November.

And here's what you need to know about Samsung's Galaxy Nexus:

A slim and curvy design. The Galaxy Nexus is 8.94 millimeters thin with a 4.29-millimeter bezel and a wider screen than on earlier Samsung smartphones that's achieved "without the phone feeling any thicker in your hand," according to the company. The next-gen handset has a curved back that's contoured for a "softer, more natural look and feel," while the buttonless design and slip-resistant hyperskin backing are also highlights.

Lots of screen real estate. The first Android 4.0 phone doesn't skimp on screen size. The Galaxy Nexus sports a 4.65-inch HD sAMOLED touchscreen display—the; world's first, according to Samsung—with; 1280-by-720 resolution and response time measuring 1/100th of a millisecond to eliminate motion blur. The smartphone maker says the Galaxy Nexus sports the "industry's highest contrast ratio" at 100,000:1.

A powerful engine. Under the hood of the Galaxy Nexus is a 1.2Ghz, dual-core application processor to drive quick switching between apps, quality gaming, and a "lightning fast Web browser." Samsung doesn't say who makes the chip, but it sounds like it could be either Nvidia's Tegra 250 3D AP25 or Tegra 250 3D T25.

Connectivity is a priority. The Galaxy Nexus comes in two 4G flavors, depending on market, LTE or HSPA+. Samsung is promising "record speeds and instant connectivity" with its new top-of-the-line smartphone.

A fully loaded device. Some more features worth mentioning on the Galaxy Nexus are the 5-megapixel HD camera that shoots 1080p HD video and promises zero shutter lag, a barometer, and compatibility with a drop-in dock with a Pogo pin.

This article, written by Damon Poeter, originally appeared on PCMag.com and is republished on Gear Live with the permission of Ziff Davis, Inc.