Samsung Smartphone Bares New Android OS Yet to be Unveiled by Google
An eBay buyer is claiming that a Samsung Nexus S he bought from the online store is running on the new Android operating system that is yet to be unveiled by Google Inc.
The buyer leaked a two-minute video of the interface and features of the so-called Ice Cream Sandwich OS on Engadget believing it is the new Android. The same baseband used by the upcoming Android, as shown on an earlier leaked video, was seen. The only difference is its newer build and kernel.
The video also show similarities to Gingerbread and Honeycomb, except that there are four shortcut buttons along the bottom. There is a new Google app icon with links to Gmail, Calendar, Google+, and YouTube.
Although Engadget cautioned that the video may be an elaborate, custom ROM built prank, the buyer claimed in the XDA Developers Forum on Thursday that Google tried to remotely lock and wipe the phone, according to CNET News.
In the tech site Android and Me, some developers tried to help unblock the phone while another developer said OS is the new Android.
CNET sought Google's comment to no avail.
The Ice Cream Sandwich is Google's response to Apple's highly-anticipated smartphone, the iPhone 5. It is rumored to debut on a Samsung Nexus Prime on Oct. 11, a week after the iPhone 5 launch. The launching event will be the CTIA Enterprise and Applications conference in San Diego.
Samsung itself has yet to announce the Nexus Prime, which the Korean firm boasts as having a dual-core processor, 4G connectivity and larger screen.