Nexus Prime Teaser and Leak Spark Wacky Theories

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
Samsung

Has the all-too-familiar shape of Apple's iPhone 4S left you hot and bothered? You might want to pay attention next week, when Google and Samsung are expected to announce their Nexus Prime smartphone.

Samsung's "Mobile Unpacked" event is scheduled for October 11, but the company is already dropping hints on what to expect. A new teaser video shows what looks like an aluminum-clad smartphone with a curved design. The video's tagline is "Something BIG is coming," backing up rumors that the Nexus Prime will have a huge display—possibly 4.5 inches or larger.

(MORE: No iPhone 5 Until 2013? Cue the Newest Round of Rumors)

An alternate theory, via SlashGear: Samsung will announce both a tablet and a smartphone at the event, judging by the slightly larger figure at the end of the video that sits flush with the smaller smartphone-shaped image.

Shapes and sizes aside, the launch will likely include lots of details on Ice Cream Sandwich, the next version of Google's Android operating system. So far, all we know is that Ice Cream Sandwich is supposed to merge the smartphone version of Android (Gingerbread) and the tablet version of Android (Honeycomb) into a single piece of software.

But rumors suggest that future Android phones will incorporate home, back, search and menu buttons directly into the display. GSM Arena recently posted a leaked image, supposedly of the Nexus Prime, with navigation buttons as part of the software. The leak also shows a display resolution of 1280-by-720, rivaling only LG's Optimus LTE.

Sure, it's not iPhone-grade scuttlebutt, but it'll have to do.

VIDEO: Is This Google Android's Ice Cream Sandwich?

News

Debt Financing

Read More

Samsung Releases Teaser Shot of Nexus Prime

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Within hours of Apple’s unveiling of the iPhone 4S, the Android camp hit back with a video teaser for the Nexus Prime from Samsung. The new Google phone is set to be unveiled at the CTIA wireless industry convention in San Diego on Oct. 11.

Reaction to the iPhone announcement has been lukewarm, and the Nexus Prime will join other Android offerings, such as the Droid Bionic, in competing with the hordes looking to upgrade or switch to the iPhone 4S. While not the completely overhauled iPhone 5 many were expecting, the new iPhone features upgraded specs, a better camera and videorecording than its predecessor, and Siri, Apple's new voice assist feature.

The Nexus Prime will be the latest fruit of Google's partnerships with phonemakers to make their own Android phone for consumers. First came the Nexus One made by HTC, then Samsung with the Nexus S. This may well be the last Nexus phone made by the Korean company, however, if Google's bid to buy Motorola Mobility clears all the regulatory hurdles.

The Nexus Prime could be sweet for another reason -- it would make sense for it to be the launch phone for Android Ice Cream Sandwich. In fact, the use of blue and green throughout the intro of the Samsung video could be a subtle hint as such. Earlier, leaked shots of Ice Cream Sandwich showed the archetypal Android green had been replaced by a new Android blue. The latest version of the mobile OS will include features from Honeycomb and is believed to be debuting sometime in the next month or two.

Check out the full video below:

Follow Eric on Twitter, and at ericmack.org. Follow PCWorld on Twitter, too.

Home, Architecture and Furniture

Travel Info

Read More