Verizon Wireless Promises Galaxy Nexus "Later This Year"

We all knew Samsung wouldn't introduce an LTE-enabled Galaxy Nexus last week without having a Verizon Wireless SIM card up their sleeve, right? Just a few days later than expected, VZW has announced that they will indeed be a carrier for the Galaxy Nexus -- making them the first carrier in the States to fess up. A few UK carriers as well as NTT DoCoMo in Japan have fessed up as well, but this is the first confirmed LTE model thus far.

Aside from announcing that they'll get it, not much else is clear. It'll ship with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), and will be "available later this year in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com." That's about as vague as it gets. No confirmed date, and no confirmed price, but at least we know it'll be coming to at least one American operator. Now, AT&T, have anything to say?

VERIZON WIRELESS INTRODUCES THE GALAXY NEXUS BY SAMSUNG

Features the Latest Version of Android and America's Fastest and Most Reliable 4G Network

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – Verizon Wireless today announced that the Galaxy Nexus by Samsung, the world's first smartphone running on Android™ 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich is coming to Verizon Wireless. The Galaxy Nexus will be available later this year in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com.

Ice Cream Sandwich brings a redesigned user interface with enhanced multitasking, notifications, full Web browsing experience and more. Customers will also be able to enjoy the innovative new features that Ice Cream Sandwich offers, such as Face Unlock which uses facial recognition to unlock the Galaxy Nexus. Customers can take advantage of the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network to access more than 300,000 apps and games from Android Market™ or rent movies and stream them instantly on the 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED™ display.

Additional features:

· 4G LTE – customers can expect fast download speeds of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in 4G LTE mobile broadband coverage areas
· Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich
· First smartphone to feature a 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED™ display (1280 x 720)
· 1.2 GHz dual-core processor with 1GB RAM
· 5-megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash, zero shutter lag and 1080p full HD video capture
· 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chatting
· Near Field Communications (NFC) enabled
· Android Beam allows customers to quickly share Web pages, apps and YouTube™ videos with friends by simply tapping compatible phones together
· Support for Google™ mobile services – Android Market, Gmail™, Google Maps™ 5.0 with 3D maps, Google Earth™, Movie Studio, YouTube™, syncing with Google Calendar™ and a redesigned Google+ app

Customers that purchase the Galaxy Nexus by Samsung smartphone will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan beginning at $39.99 for monthly access and a smartphone data package starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data. For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.