Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Unwrapping Ice Cream Sandwich on the Galaxy Nexus

(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.

Posted by Andy Rubin, Senior Vice President, Mobile
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40 comments:

  1. deltatuxOctober 18, 2011 at 8:39 PM

    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!

    ReplyDelete
  2. nursewallyOctober 18, 2011 at 8:41 PM

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

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownOctober 18, 2011 at 8:41 PM

    WANT! SO! HARD!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousOctober 18, 2011 at 8:42 PM

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  5. MSOctober 18, 2011 at 8:42 PM

    Updates on time frame for samsung galaxy S2 getting Android 4.0

    ReplyDelete
  6. nnelzenOctober 18, 2011 at 8:46 PM

    Throwing money at my moniter now

    ReplyDelete
  7. DanielOctober 18, 2011 at 8:46 PM

    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. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Tiến NguyễnOctober 18, 2011 at 8:51 PM

    When will the source be available?

    ReplyDelete
  9. ScottOctober 18, 2011 at 8:54 PM

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

    ReplyDelete
  10. UnknownOctober 18, 2011 at 8:56 PM

    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

    ReplyDelete
  11. Kashif MalimOctober 18, 2011 at 8:58 PM

    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

    ReplyDelete
  12. gerrrgOctober 18, 2011 at 9:02 PM

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

    Long live Android!

    ReplyDelete
  13. UnknownOctober 18, 2011 at 9:06 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  14. SantiagoOctober 18, 2011 at 9:10 PM

    No multiuser support? :(

    ReplyDelete
  15. findingDupesOctober 18, 2011 at 9:50 PM

    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)???

    ReplyDelete
  16. CryohelixOctober 18, 2011 at 10:41 PM

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

    ReplyDelete
  17. MageosOctober 18, 2011 at 10:59 PM

    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!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. hskrprdOctober 18, 2011 at 11:14 PM

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  19. ZarchOctober 18, 2011 at 11:54 PM

    Will the Galaxy Nexus have a notification LED/light?

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

    ReplyDelete
  20. SuryaOctober 19, 2011 at 1:34 AM

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

    ReplyDelete
  21. Semih_BOctober 19, 2011 at 2:26 AM

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

    ReplyDelete
  22. BenOctober 19, 2011 at 2:28 AM

    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?

    ReplyDelete
  23. 56MOctober 19, 2011 at 7:19 AM

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  24. UnknownOctober 19, 2011 at 7:22 AM

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

    ReplyDelete
  25. DenierOctober 19, 2011 at 8:42 AM

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

    ReplyDelete
  26. UnknownOctober 19, 2011 at 2:54 PM

    Thanks Andy

    ReplyDelete
  27. Gerry AdamsOctober 19, 2011 at 5:14 PM

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  28. iorxOctober 20, 2011 at 1:05 AM

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

    ReplyDelete
  29. MILAD6923October 20, 2011 at 11:56 AM

    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!!!

    ReplyDelete
  30. rubalpreetsinghOctober 21, 2011 at 11:26 AM

    www.wellbeinganddiseases.com

    ReplyDelete
  31. fdsafsdOctober 21, 2011 at 3:57 PM

    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?

    ReplyDelete
  32. Cory CrookOctober 21, 2011 at 9:18 PM

    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!

    ReplyDelete
  33. ShaunOctober 24, 2011 at 10:40 PM

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  34. jojopig.comOctober 25, 2011 at 5:42 AM

    Incredible Updates.

    ReplyDelete
  35. AnonymousOctober 25, 2011 at 10:48 AM

    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?

    ReplyDelete
  36. MalcolmOctober 25, 2011 at 11:32 PM

    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).

    ReplyDelete
  37. UnknownOctober 26, 2011 at 11:53 PM

    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

    ReplyDelete
  38. HaykOctober 29, 2011 at 3:00 PM

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

    ReplyDelete
  39. TetraFlashOctober 30, 2011 at 8:01 AM

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  40. RossNovember 1, 2011 at 9:33 AM

    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.

    ReplyDelete

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