Google is working with Samsung to create the next benchmark Google phone. The new phone will be called the Google Nexus S.
The new Nexus S will be available by January 2011, a year after Google introduced its first phone, the Nexus One. Instead of selling the phone directly, as Google did with the Nexus One, sales will be turned over to stores like Best Buy. [Edit: Sales at Best Buy will start December 16. Price will be $199 with a two year contract on T-Mobile, or $529 with no contract.]
The Nexus S was developed hand in hand with Android 2.3, so all of Android's features will work properly, and you'll have full access to Google applications like GMail and Navigation. The Nexus S includes a true GPS chip.
It looks like the Nexus S hardware is not much different than the current batch of Android smart phones. The Nexus S is a little slimmer than the Nexus One. The 4.0 inch 480x800 pixel screen is a little larger than the screen on the Nexus One. And battery life is improved to 6+ hours of heavy use, which means the phone's battery will last through a long day of regular use.
The big news in hardware is support for Near Field Communication (NFC). NFC works by sending and/or receiving a radio signal over a short distance (a few inches). There are international standards organizations and industry groups to assure interoperability between NFC devices.
NFC is most familiar as the technology behind those RFID tags that stores attach to their merchandise. NFC can also be used in contactless ID badges to control building access, for example.
But NFC's backers think the the technology can be used in many more interesting ways. Imagine an NFC-equipped device being used to conduct a financial transaction, in the same way we'd use a credit card today. An NFC device could act as an electronic ticket for a show or a train ride. Or we could use an NFC device to gather information.
Imagine using your Nexus S phone to go to the ballpark. The NFC chip in your phone could make the payment. The stadium's NFC device could download a map of the ballpark into your phone to help guide you to your seat. I think we'll be hearing a lot more about NFC services in 2011.
The NFC feature can be turned off in the Nexus S, for security and to conserve battery life.
The Nexus S is unlocked, meaning that you can use the phone with carriers around the world. The radio in the Nexus S supports both quad band GSM and tri band HSPA, so the Nexus S should work with AT&T, T-Mobile, Cingular or Verizon in USA.
I think the Nexus S uses a full size SIM card, not the newer micro SIM. This will make it easier to swap SIMs provided by different carriers.
Because the Nexus S can be used on many carriers' networks, the Android software does not include any customization specific to a particular carrier. The Nexus S will be "pure" Android. This also means that you'll be able to install Android upgrades as soon as Google releases them. It often takes many months for a carrier to release a customized version of Android.
Note that the Nexus S is not a 4G phone. Its radio does not support any of the new higher speed data services offered by carriers in USA. I guess there is no single radio chip that can communicate with all of the 4G services.
Update: Google has launched a web page for the Nexus S http://www.google.com/nexus/#!/index
The new Nexus S will be available by January 2011, a year after Google introduced its first phone, the Nexus One. Instead of selling the phone directly, as Google did with the Nexus One, sales will be turned over to stores like Best Buy. [Edit: Sales at Best Buy will start December 16. Price will be $199 with a two year contract on T-Mobile, or $529 with no contract.]
The Nexus S was developed hand in hand with Android 2.3, so all of Android's features will work properly, and you'll have full access to Google applications like GMail and Navigation. The Nexus S includes a true GPS chip.
It looks like the Nexus S hardware is not much different than the current batch of Android smart phones. The Nexus S is a little slimmer than the Nexus One. The 4.0 inch 480x800 pixel screen is a little larger than the screen on the Nexus One. And battery life is improved to 6+ hours of heavy use, which means the phone's battery will last through a long day of regular use.
The big news in hardware is support for Near Field Communication (NFC). NFC works by sending and/or receiving a radio signal over a short distance (a few inches). There are international standards organizations and industry groups to assure interoperability between NFC devices.
NFC is most familiar as the technology behind those RFID tags that stores attach to their merchandise. NFC can also be used in contactless ID badges to control building access, for example.
But NFC's backers think the the technology can be used in many more interesting ways. Imagine an NFC-equipped device being used to conduct a financial transaction, in the same way we'd use a credit card today. An NFC device could act as an electronic ticket for a show or a train ride. Or we could use an NFC device to gather information.
Imagine using your Nexus S phone to go to the ballpark. The NFC chip in your phone could make the payment. The stadium's NFC device could download a map of the ballpark into your phone to help guide you to your seat. I think we'll be hearing a lot more about NFC services in 2011.
The NFC feature can be turned off in the Nexus S, for security and to conserve battery life.
The Nexus S is unlocked, meaning that you can use the phone with carriers around the world. The radio in the Nexus S supports both quad band GSM and tri band HSPA, so the Nexus S should work with AT&T, T-Mobile, Cingular or Verizon in USA.
I think the Nexus S uses a full size SIM card, not the newer micro SIM. This will make it easier to swap SIMs provided by different carriers.
Because the Nexus S can be used on many carriers' networks, the Android software does not include any customization specific to a particular carrier. The Nexus S will be "pure" Android. This also means that you'll be able to install Android upgrades as soon as Google releases them. It often takes many months for a carrier to release a customized version of Android.
Note that the Nexus S is not a 4G phone. Its radio does not support any of the new higher speed data services offered by carriers in USA. I guess there is no single radio chip that can communicate with all of the 4G services.
Update: Google has launched a web page for the Nexus S http://www.google.com/nexus/#!/index
