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At CTIA 2011 in Orlando, Sprint announced that it would soon begin carrying the Nexus S 4G. Unfortunately, details regarding pricing and availability were sparse. Today, the carrier revealed that this pure-Android smart phone would go on sale on May 8th for $199 with a new two-year contract. For those not familiar, this device is essentially the same as the original Nexus S which went on sale late last year, however it now includes access to Sprint’s high-speed 4G WiMax network.
This Samsung-built device is particularly special since it runs on the latest version of the Android: Gingerbread (v2.3). Since there are no custom interface elements, Google can deliver new updates immediately without having to deal with carriers or manufacturers. Those who pick up one of these phones will can even enjoy the deep integration with Google Voice which offers transcribed voice mails, call forwarding, and tons of other features.
When on a 4G network, users can enable a mobile hotspot feature for letting up to six WiFi-enabled get online. Access to the Android Marketplace and Google services comes standard. This device even includes Near Field Communication (NFC) for supporting new technologies such as mobile payments. There is 16 GB of internal storage with no microSD expansion. The 512 MB of RAM should be plenty for multitasking without any issues. WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS are inside as well. The Nexus S 4G also packs a 1500 mAh battery inside.
While customers should get excited for this phone, a better device is in the horizon. The upcoming HTC EVO 3D offers dual-core processors, a 3D display, two cameras for 3D video capture, and tons of other unique features. The Nexus S 4G feels like a conservative device in comparison. I should note that this smart phone is by no means bad, but it runs on outdated hardware for those who care. Unless you need a new smart phone immediately, I would suggest holding off a little longer until summer. In fact, Google will probably announce a new version of Android at I/O 2011. After all, monthly subscription fees are identical and you might as well buy a better phone.
Links: Sprint Nexus
Interesting, though disappointing that Google Talk and Apple’s FaceTime still have no way to interoperate. As an iPhone user, I would love the ability to make video calls to my friends and colleagues who use Android. FaceTime, in theory, was meant to be an open standard. But is anyone planning to adopt it?