HONG KONG (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. and Google Inc. on Wednesday announced a major update to Android software and the new Nexus smartphone after they postponed the event in deference to Steve Jobs.
The smartphone, named the "Galaxy Nexus" after the name of Samsung's flagship handset and in line with Google's Nexus series of smartphones, will be released in Europe next month and then go on sale globally in the coming months, Samsung said in a statement.
The Galaxy Nexus is the first device to be powered by the newest version of Android. The new Android operating system (OS) is called "ice cream sandwich," keeping with Google's tradition of naming its operating system after desserts in alphabetical order.
Google said the new mobile OS is designed to support both smartphones with small screens and tablet PCs with big-size screens.
With the updated software, the Galaxy Nexus offers a faster Internet browsing experience than previous versions, improved cameras and other new features, such as the face recognition technology that automatically unlocks the phone by identifying the handset user's face.
Samsung and Google postponed the announcement of the Galaxy Nexus in respect to Steve Jobs, the late co-founder of Apple Inc., who died on Oct. 5. The event was originally scheduled on Oct. 11 in San Diego.
The announcement of the Galaxy Nexus comes after Apple reported brisk sales of the newly minted iPhone 4S, one of the last Apple products created under the late visionary leader's guidance.
Apple said it sold more than 4 million units of the iPhone 4S during the first three days of its launch. The iPhone 4S hit shelves in seven countries on Oct. 14.
Although the Android operating system is the most widely used smartphone software around the world with hundreds of manufacturers building handsets based on the free and open platform, Apple's iPhone is still the single best-selling smartphone in the world, a title that is envied by the likes of Samsung.
Apple shipped 17.07 million iPhones in the three month period ending Sept. 24, it said during its earnings release. Samsung said shipments of the Galaxy S2 smartphone to mobile operators surpassed 20 million units since the Korean firm launched the flagship handset in April. Samsung is scheduled to report earnings results later this month.
The Galaxy Nexus was the first major announcement made by Samsung and Google since U.S. search giant decided to acquire Motorola Mobility Holdings Ltd.
Despite Google's claim that it will run Motorola as a separate company so that Google would not compete directly with its Android handset partners, its acquisition of the biggest handset maker in the U.S. triggered speculations that Samsung, HTC Corp., LG Electronics Inc. and other Android vendors may reconsider their mobile strategies.
The Galaxy Nexus is also the second Nexus phone built by Samsung and Google following the Nexus S smartphone. Unlike other Android-powered handsets, the Nexus smartphones serve as a reference device for other Android partners and developers, giving them a better idea of the new operating system when Google releases a major Android update.
The Galaxy Nexus is powered by a 1.2-gigahertz dual core processor and features a slightly larger screen size than the iPhone and the Galaxy S2 at 4.65 inches. It features an ultra slim body at 8.94 millimeters and a curved design. (Yonhap)