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Samsung, Google Unveil Slick New Android Phone

New phone is first to run Android 4.0

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 19, 2011 6:12 AM CDT | Updated Oct 19, 2011 7:05 AM CDT

(Newser) – Only hours after Motorola rolled out its new Razr, Samsung and Google unveiled a new Android smartphone of their own. The high-end Galaxy Nexus—which is set to retail for more than $700—would have launched more than a week ago, but the companies decided to reschedule after the death of Steve Jobs, the Wall Street Journal reports. The phone runs Android's new Ice Cream Sandwich platform, designed to run on both smartphones and tablets. "We're targeting the premium segment of the mobile handset market with this handset," says a Samsung exec.

New features in the latest version of Android include facial recognition software that allows a user to use his face to unlock his phone, although when demonstrated onstage at the Galaxy Nexus launch, the phone failed to recognize its owner, PC World notes. Google says the new phone—which analysts believe will help Samsung in its quest to overtake Apple—also has tighter integration with Google+, allowing users to have video chats with as many as nine contacts.

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A model displays the new Galaxy Nexus smartphone during a news conference in Hong Kong today. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Google's top mobile executive Andy Rubin, left, and J.K. Shin, president and head of mobile communications business at Samsung, hold the new Galaxy Nexus smartphone during a news conference today. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

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Promo video introducing the Galaxy Nexus. (playtechRo)

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Samsung, Google Unveil Slick New Android Phone

New phone is first to run Android 4.0

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