Just yesterday, we reported on the espied Samsung Vibrant 4G coming exclusively through T-Mobile. Here’s another Samsung offering which has now received FCC clearance for AWS 3G, codenamed GT- i9023. Interestingly, Engadget reasons that the sketch looks quite similar to the form factor of the Nexus S.
In fact, delving on the latest Google smartphone’s model number, GT-i9020, it appears to link the threads more intricately with this new handset. Thus, there are strong suspicions that the GT- i9023 could be a variant of the Nexus S. Moreover, AWS 3G is said to be T-Mobile’s network band, thereby it could be that a fresh Nexus is being built for the carrier.
According to Engadget, BestBoyZ has uploaded a video of a Nexus S. The reason why this video has been making news is because it claims to be running Android 2.4. This version of Google’s operating system is still a rumor with no official acknowledgement. The news gets even more interesting when the About screen boldly displays i9023 as the baseband version.
Ostensibly, this model number has already cleared Wi-Fi Alliance and Bluetooth SIG qualifications. Adding more fuel to the fire, folks over at the website state that several European retailers have begun enrolling the i9023 in their inventories, describing it as a ‘Black Silver’ Nexus S. However, if it had been just the phone dipped in some fresh paint, why would an FCC filing be required especially with a new model number?
Questions and more questions, we wonder if Samsung’s actually bringing in Android 2.4 to the Nexus S. Well, in that case how about offering handset owners a breather of Froyo, before moving onto the next Android version. Like always this is just a bouquet of rumors, with no certainty of how much truth it actually bestows.