Not long after disappearing from the Google Play store, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ is back home. So those who’ve been waiting to lay hands on it stateside, can now fork out the required change for the unlocked phone.
It started with Apple filing for a ban on the Samsung device, claiming that it infringed on certain patents. Apparently, the lawsuit has more to do with the Android OS as opposed to the hardware used in the smartphone. According to all that has been heard about the quarrel, the inclusion of a unified search interface is a major bone of contention.
Owing to Samsung’s appeal for a temporary lift on the ban being successful, those who want an unlocked version of the handset in question can order it from Google Play. It’s still to be decided whether the device will be kept off the shelf right through the patent infringement trial or not. At the same time, Mountain View promises that it will soon be shipping, with customers having to wait for one or two weeks after ordering it through the Android marketplace.
The unlocked GSM smartphone is scheduled to get a Jelly Bean update as well as a workaround to the software patent that’s the cause of the row, says The Verge. The handset was unveiled back in October 2011, along with the Ice Cream Sandwich OS. It has hit Sprint, Verizon and various other retailers in the US since then, while the SIM-free version reached Google Play in April 2012. The news about it being pulled from the online portal surfaced early this month, quite closely following the tidbit of its price drop.
At present, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ sells for $349.99 on the Google Play store.