Google to Sell Galaxy S4 w/ Stock Android

Google has announced that it will be selling Samsung's flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4, running on stock Android (AOSP). This means that the Galaxy S4 will be free of Samsung's TouchWiz modifications. The said device will be sold directly through Google Play and will get timely Android updates just like the Nexus devices. It will also come with an unlocked bootloader for extra flexibility. It will be available in a 16GB model with a microSD slot to expand it.

Image by GSMArena

This Google edition of the Galaxy S4 will be selling in the US starting June 26 without a contract and with no carrier subsidy. The retail price will be $649 and it will work on both the AT&T and T-Mobile US networks (LTE included).

I just find it odd that Google would tie up with Samsung to release a pure Android Galaxy S4 when it could have released a phone with similar specs with Motorola. Moreover, $600+ is quite expensive for a Nexus phone. Probably, Google is just riding on the popularity of the said Samsung flagship.

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Til then...

xoxo Nash