Verizon Might Launch Samsung Galaxy Nexus Friday, Available Now for AT&T, T-Mobile

Way back in October, Verizon committed to being the first U.S. carrier to introduce the hotly-anticipated Samsung Galaxy Nexus -- over a month later, customers are still waiting. That wait may be almost over.

Its cutting-edge featureset is the reason so many Verizon subscribers are eager for the debut of this smartphone. It's the first with Google's Android OS 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) as well as a range of other high-end features, like a large, very high-res display. 

Verizon has yet to say when its going to launch the Galaxy Nexus, but information leaking out of the carrier points to Friday, Dec. 9. Thursday is the typical day for Verizon Wireless to introduce new models, but there are exceptions -- the Motorola Droid RAZR debuted on a Friday, for example.

AT&T, T-Mobile Customers Needn't Wait
Verizon isn't the only option for those who want this hot new smartphone -- the online retailer Expansys is currently selling a GSM version that is "unlocked", which means it can be used with either AT&T or T-Mobile.

Phones that are sold by a wireless carrier are typically bundled with a two-year service contract which gets the customer a subsidy off the price of the hardware. That's how cutting-edge devices are sold at $300 or less. Because this version of the Galaxy Nexus is being sold by Expansys directly to the public, and not through a carrier, there is no subsidy and the price is $700.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus Overview
The most obvious feature of this device is its 4.65-inch, 1280 x 720 Touchscreen -- a higher screen resolution than any other Android smartphone. The Super AMOLED display is slightly curved to fit against the user's face.

The Galaxy Nexus sports a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage. This isn't the fastest chip available -- some rival models have a 1.5GHz dual-core one -- but it should be enough to give this handset very good performance.

As mentioned before, it runs Android OS 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). The latest version of Google's operating system includes a number of user interface changes, such as replacing the hardware buttons below the display with on-screen virtual buttons. Many of the standard apps have been improved as well.

This smartphone has 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and NFC. It has a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p video recording, as well as a 1.3 megapixel one on the front for video conferencing and a new feature in Android 4.0: Face Unlock.

Verizon's version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus will support its 4G LTE service. All versions lack Samsung's usual alternate user interface, but Verizon apparently couldn't resist making a few other changes: Google Wallet will reportedly be missing, and a small selection of this carrier's own apps will be bundled.

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