It's been nearly a month since we first heard about Google's next-gen Android phone, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Yet since its unveiling, we haven't heard a word about its release.
Until now. Beginning Thursday, the Galaxy Nexus will go on sale at Verizon Wireless retailers in the U.S., according to a tweet sent on Wednesday afternoon from the official Verizon Wireless Twitter account.
The phone will cost $300 with a two-year Verizon Wireless contract, and will run on the carrier's 4G LTE network.
It's been roller coaster ride for the Galaxy Nexus. According to recent rumors, Google and Verizon were embroiled in a battle over Google Wallet, Google's mobile payments app that was supposed to have ended up in the upcoming phone. Verizon, however, has its own interests to protect -- the carrier is part of the ISIS joint venture with T-Mobile and AT&T, a possible alternative to Google Wallet. Naturally, the ISIS partners don't want to ship a competing payments solution on their own devices.
Google agreed to keep Wallet off the devices, but no parties have explained why it's taken so long to release the phone. Still, once early adopters start playing with Ice Cream Sandwich for the first time on the Galaxy Nexus, we're sure the weeks of anxious speculation will be forgotten.
