Verizon to Release Galaxy Nexus Amid Heavy Competition

Verizon plans to release the Samsung Galaxy Nexus on December 9 for $300 with a two-year contract, as the much-anticipated device faces heavy competition from the iPhone and other Android devices during the holidays.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus

The Basking Ridge, N.J.-based carrier leaked an internal memo showing a scheduled release date, along with photos of the device in Verizon retail stores, which are hitting the Internet. The Galaxy Nexus will feature a 4.65-inch Super AMOLED display, 1.2-gigahertz dual-core processor, 5-megapixel camera and is the first device to launch with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

The Galaxy Nexus gives Verizon another high-end device to compete against rival AT&T. The device received positive reviews, but it will compete in a crowded market. The Motorola Droid Razr and HTC Rezound -- both barely a month old -- are hot holiday items, as well as the Droid 4, which will arrive around the time the Galaxy Nexus hits store shelves.

The Galaxy S2 has been the second best-selling smartphone AT&T and Sprint, but until now, Samsung has not had a strong enough presence on Verizon to challenge the iPhone 4S.

The Galaxy Nexus was expected to become Verizon's new flagship Android device, but its delayed launch, combined with stiff competition during the busy holiday season, will play a role in how well it sells.

Google launched the flagship Android device in the U.K. last month, but the company remained silent on the U.S. release. Analysts believe a software bug in early shipments of a 4G HSPA-plus version of the handset affected its volume, leading to the delay in the U.S.

Regardless, Verizon is set to launch a version nearly identical to the U.K. incarnation, but with a few key differences. Verizon's Galaxy Nexus contains an LTE antenna, making it one millimeter thicker than its HSPA-plus counterpart. It will also ship with the carrier's "My Verizon Mobile" and "VZ Backup Assistant" software -- both of which can be disabled -- and double the storage, with 32-gigabytes instead of 16-gigabytes.