Unwrapping Ice Cream Sandwich on the Galaxy Nexus

Tuesday, October 18, 2011 | 7:08 PM

(Cross-posted on the Official Google blog)

Beaming a video with a single tap or unlocking a device with only a smile sounds like science fiction. Now, you can actually do these things (and more) with a phone that fits in the palm of your hand.

Wednesday morning in Hong Kong—together with Samsung—we unveiled Galaxy Nexus, the first phone designed for the latest release of Android 4.0, also known as Ice Cream Sandwich.



With a super slim profile, Galaxy Nexus features a 4.65” Contour Display with true high definition (720p) resolution and a lightning-fast dual core 1.2ghz processor combined with 4G LTE or HSPA+ technology. Galaxy Nexus also features the latest in software: Ice Cream Sandwich makes Android simple and beautiful, and takes the smartphone to beyond smart.

Beauty and simplicity
With Ice Cream Sandwich, our mission was to build a mobile OS that works on both phones and tablets, and to make the power of Android enticing and intuitive. We created a new font that’s optimized for HD displays and eliminated all hardware buttons in favor of adaptable software buttons. We also dramatically improved the keyboard, made notifications more interactive and created resizable widgets.

The desktop-class browser is significantly faster, featuring a refined tab manager and the ability to sync your bookmarks with Google Chrome. Ice Cream Sandwich also features the best mobile Gmail experience to date, with a new design that lets you quickly swipe through your inbox and search messages even when you’re offline. Calendar boasts a clean new look and you can zoom into your schedule with a pinch.

Connect and share
People are at the heart of Ice Cream Sandwich. We rethought how you browse your contacts with the new People app, which combines high-resolution photos and updates from Google+ and other social services. It’s also easier to capture and share your life with family and friends. Galaxy Nexus sports a high-end camera with zero shutter lag, automatic focus, top notch low-light performance and a simple way to capture panoramic pictures. Shoot amazing photos or 1080p video, and then edit and share them directly from your phone.

Beyond smart
Galaxy Nexus isn’t just a smartphone—it’s beyond smart. Ice Cream Sandwich gives you complete control over the amount of mobile data you use by helping you better understand and manage it. We’re also introducing Android Beam, which uses near field communication (NFC) to instantly share webpages, YouTube videos, maps, directions and apps by simply tapping two phones together. Face Unlock uses state-of-the-art facial recognition technology to unlock your phone with nothing more than a smile.

This weekend marks the third birthday of the G1, the first-ever Android phone. Nine releases later, more than 550,000 Android devices are activated daily.

Starting in November, Galaxy Nexus will be available in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia. Check out the Nexus website for a product tour and more info.

40 comments:

deltatux said...

Hey Google,

Any word when Android 4.0 will land on existing devices, especially the Nexus S?

Was very disappointed that the keynote speech completely disregarded existing device support for Android 4.0.

Thanks!

nursewally said...

Any word on when the ice cream sandwich update will be available for the galaxy s2?

Unknown said...

WANT! SO! HARD!

Anonymous said...

Android 4.0 looks amazing
A huge step from Gingerbread
Can't wait to get my hands on a Galaxy Nexus
I loved the People's App, The new Camera app, and Android Beam the most.

MS said...

Updates on time frame for samsung galaxy S2 getting Android 4.0

nnelzen said...

Throwing money at my moniter now

Daniel said...

Hi! Amazing job with ICS and Galaxy Nexus, I want it. You didn't tell anything about prices, and I would also like to know if it's all careers in Europe, that will get the phone? Especially in Denmark. :-)

Tiến Nguyễn said...

When will the source be available?

Scott said...

I want this RIGHT NOW. Hopefully you will release it in Canada ASAP with an AWS chip, or even a pentaband chip:)

Unknown said...

Great update to Android! Super exited to get my hands on this. Just wondering if this is plausible since i'm on Sprint? o_O

Kashif Malim said...

Excellent news, excellent device and excellent software!

Just have one question. I'm a Nexus S user and I'm extremely impatient for ICS. When can I have it?

Thanks,
Kashif

gerrrg said...

Last week, I bought a Galaxy S-II on T-Mobile, to replace my last Android phone...the G1.

Long live Android!

Unknown said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

Santiago said...

No multiuser support? :(

findingDupes said...

Is the Galaxy Nexus (Nexus Prime) Pentaband??? Meaning I can switch carriers and still get the full data speed (right now atleast 3G / HSPA data speed on all carriers)???

Cryohelix said...

One Simple Question! " Will the Nexus S get Android 4.0?"

Mageos said...

All the talk about ICS being the one android to rule them all, when is it coming to tablets. There are some great features that I can wait to see on my Eee Pad Transformer!!!!

hskrprd said...

Please let this come to all carriers not just verizon. They already dictate so much policy with U.S. cellular. Everyone on every carrier deserves a shot to have this device.

Zarch said...

Will the Galaxy Nexus have a notification LED/light?

Why do phone manufacturers (HTC aside) constantly overlook this wonderful little feature?

Surya said...

Google nexus S user: will Gingerbread is upgraded automatically. If yes, when. If no, Should I buy another phone to have the icecream sandwich

Semih_B said...

Any word on when the ice cream sandwich update will be available for the galaxy s2?

Ben said...

Does 4.0 bring any decent accessibility features for visually impaired users?
iOS has text size options, zoom, voice over and now with iOS5 speak selection, which is nice.
I know Android has TTS but is there any way of just making text bigger yet?

56M said...

Hey, Andy Rubin.
The interface of Ice Cream is cool, undoubtedly.
But...all i can see in Ice Cream Sandwich from today's Announcement Video is that-> A lot of complicated graphs...
Of course, as a mobile user, i love cool functions. but please keep interface simple.
I miss android 1.6, idiot can use it.

Unknown said...

How I wish to have a Galaxy Nexus... Here in Brazil...

Denier said...

I don't suppose that, with the release of ICS, there's something in store for Google TV as well, is there?

Unknown said...

Thanks Andy

Gerry Adams said...

Wow! this and the Droid RAZR on the same day. It's getting harder to choose a new phone. Too bad I still have to wait almost a year to trade in my DroidX.

iorx said...

The everlasting problem with PPTP. Fixed in 4.0? http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=4706

MILAD6923 said...

Really you guys have to think for a way that all android devices get the update at the same time together ,if you do it youll win! Hopefully Andy will Read this!!!

rubalpreetsingh said...

www.wellbeinganddiseases.com

fdsafsd said...

What phone to pick they keep coming out with so many phones. I have not heard much about the I Phone in a while what happened to that one. Is it really that different from the android?

Cory Crook said...

Can't wait for 4.0 on my Iconia Tab! I hope it's more stable than Honeycomb has been! Nice blog by the way!

Shaun said...

All this Google OS fragmentation sucks, I HATE that Google lets Samsung, HTC, LG, and Motorola skin their OS. All these other companies suck at software. Ultimately, Google will learn from Apple to unify the OS experience. Please force all hardware makers to upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich.

jojopig.com said...

Incredible Updates.

Anonymous said...

Are Chrome Web Apps that can be used in the desktop Chrome browser also going to be able to be used in the Chrome browser on Android?

Malcolm said...

Does Ice Cream Sandwich on the Galaxy Nexus have ability to Sync Tasks with Microsoft Outlook?

I really need ability to sync my Tasks and other stuff that is on my Microsoft Outlook to the smart phone.

And then if I add a Task to my Smartphone, I want the new task to go my Microsoft Outlook.

I posted this on the forums a while back but no one from Google responded :(


Anyone know a tool from Google which allows me to Sync Tasks in Microsoft Outlook 2010 with Google Tasks?

If there is no tool from Google, anyone know a free and open source tool that allows you to do the same?

Open Source because I don't want to put my Google Account password in some software that is not checked by others (i.e. no backdoors that send your passwords to author).

Oh and by the way, why is Google Tasks an orphan project?

It seems that only Google Tasks doesn't have its own separate website. Makes me wonder if Google is still working on it, to improve it etc.


Would really love for this to be Out of the Box in Galaxy Nexus.

Or I may have to wait 6 more months for Nokia to come out with their Windows phone.

Then I can finally junk my old Palm PC (or is it called Pocket PC - I am not sure) which I think has "Windows Mobile 5.0" and is able to do all syncing with my Outlook and other Office apps out of the Box.

I don't mind using Google Products on my SmartPhone, I just want it to be able to have ability to sync with Microsoft Office.

Right now I use a Palm PC and a separate cell phone (not a smart-phone).

Unknown said...

Just read the telegraph article that says you will not push ICS to the N1 as "it's hardware is to darn old". WTF? Eventhough it is about 2 years old, it is still a daily driver and still running even smoother than the latest iPhone does.

Oh, it doesn't have a dual core procesor, right. And that is standard nowadays, he? And? The hardware would allow using ICS; eventhough it couldn't take advantage of all new features.

Anyway, for me the Nexus One is still on top of the best smartphones ever released list and i feel really sad about reading your position on that.

So after removing the N1 from the google.com/nexus/ section, as well as dropping all kinds of support via forums, now this is the final dead of the N1, right?!

For me, the most sad thing about it: This decision can not be based on the hardware. Indeed this is much more about business.

Respectfully,
Stephan

Hayk said...

Hi, my nam is Jomardyan Hayk, im am begine web programmer: i liked Voice Actions for Android

TetraFlash said...

Hey Google,

If it really is coming to Canada too then why does www.google.com/nexus show us a nice tour of the galaxy nexus while www.google.ca/nexus tells us the galaxy s is amazing and offers to let us buy it?... you are going to make a lot of non tech savvy people angry when they buy the wrong phone.

Ross said...

There is no official support for legacy devices. There is WAY too much power given to the handset manufacturers. Many of us won't see ICS without buying a new phone. The fragmentation and lack of legacy support is ridiculous on Android at this stage, and as a long term fan of Google I think I'll buy an iPhone that just updates and works.

Getting Gingerbread involved rooting, errors, roms not flashing, USB brick, S-off issues and so on, on my HTC desire. I'm not bothered doing a lot of this again for ICS.

I love being up to date with my OS etc, but the fact Google completely kowtowed to the manufacturers makes things exceedingly complex.

I have a friend on 2.1 on a samsung, my gf has FroYo on a HTC, I have 2.3 running on my phone, my friends tablet has 3.1 and his brother has 3.2.

iPhones have iOS 5.. and that's it.

Google what is going on? I just want my phone to update and work. WHY IS THIS TOO MUCH TO ASK? How can you allow HTC, Samsung, Sony etc. to control what version of YOUR OS I have. I went Android for Google, not for a random handset manufacturer.