The Verizon version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus 4G that was the first handset to deliver Android’s 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) operating system to a US smartphone is the exact same handset that runs on the Sprint wireless network. When Verizon was the exclusive home of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus 4G, they could set their retail price at what they thought was fair for the customer, and leave it at that. Now with a competitor offering the same exact handset, Verizon, in an attempt to protect market share, has dropped the retail price of their Galaxy Nexus 4G to $0.01 on contract at select retailers.
Customers already on the Sprint network can get the Sprint Galaxy Nexus 4G for $49 on contract at select retailers, and the handsets are identical in design. The only differentiation is the wireless system on which the two Galaxy Nexus 4G devices run. The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE system is the largest and fastest LTE network in the United States, as tested by multiple independent reviewers. The Sprint 4G LTE network is not yet in place, but should be up and running by mid summer this year. Currently, the Sprint Galaxy Nexus 4G Android smartphone is running on the Sprint 3G network.
Verizon’s version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus 4G also delivers up to 12.0 hours of talk time from a single charge, due to the size and speed of their wireless 4G LTE network. The Sprint device offers up to 6.0 hours of talk time from the same 1,850 mA cell. The Verizon Galaxy Nexus 4G runs a slim 0.37 inches (9.47 mm), and weighs approximately 5.29 ounces (150 g). The Super AMOLED display measures 4.65 inches, making it one of the largest found on any smartphone. Resolution runs 316 pixels per inch, for an overall display resolution of 720 x 1,280 pixels, displays being rendered in more than 16 million unique colors.
A Texas Instruments OMAP 4460 microchip package includes a dual core 1.2 GHz Cortex A9 central processing unit, and also contains a PowerVR SGX540 GPU which handles all graphics processing. 1.0 GB of RAM system memory is on board, and the most built-in data storage offered by any handset is present at 32 GB. A front facing 1.3 megapixel chat cam joins a rear mounted 5.0 megapixel camcorder in the camera combo on board the Verizon Galaxy Nexus 4G. That rear device provides video capture at a high resolution 1,080P HD, and the front facing chat cam also offers video call support. Near Field Communications (NFC) access is offered out-of-the-box. Â Select online retailers are offering the Samsung Galaxy Nexus starting at one penny.
