How would you feel about a little Android 2.3.5 (!) action on that Nexus S 4G of yours? What about some WiMAX performance improvements? You should be getting all that plus WiFi connectivity and speakerphone quality tweaks, along with TTY support on Monday July 25th, which is when Sprint is expected to begin rolling out an OTA update for Samsung's pure Gingerbread handset. We were given an exclusive first look at the new software, and while it's still being finalized, we tested it side-by-side with the original, and our results show a welcome increase in 4G speeds across the board. As you may remember, we observed repeatable WiMAX performance issues with the old software, so this update is excellent news indeed. The amount of improvement will likely depend on your locale, but even in signal-challenged San Francisco and New York we noticed the difference right away -- so kudos to Google, Samsung, and Sprint for addressing this. We also experienced performance in-line with our Epic 4G -- the benchmark device used for our initial testing with the previous firmware version. Take a look at our gallery below, and peek at our hands-on video after the break. Because the update was originally expected to roll out on July 11th, the date mentioned in our video remain unchanged. The correct date is July 25th, however.
Sprint Nexus S 4G update
Zach Honig contributed to this report.
Show full PR text
Nexus S 4G Software Update Roll Out Begins on July 25, Boosts Data Speeds
Nexus S™ 4G is getting a software update designed to improve 4G data speeds for users and provide several other updates. The release will begin rolling out to Nexus S 4G handsets on Monday, July 25. All users should receive the update in the next three weeks.
In Sprint's preproduction testing, Nexus S 4G showed excellent performance. After receiving feedback from a small number of our customers, we conducted a secondary analysis of its performance with our partners at Google and Samsung and were able to identify some ways we could boost performance on Nexus S 4G.
These enhancements should increase 4G data speeds and signal strength for users. The software update also improves Wi-Fi connectivity, speakerphone audio quality and adds TTY support for the deaf and hard of hearing.
"Nexus S 4G continues to be a highly sought after smartphone and performs very well for our customers. We are excited to make additional enhancements that will provide an even better user experience" said Fared Adib, vice president – Product Development, Sprint. "We're committed to listening to our customers' feedback and working with our partners to provide the best possible customer experience."
Manufactured by Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), a leading global mobile phone provider and the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the United States, Nexus S 4G is the only Nexus S phone with 4G and provides a pure Google experience with Android™ 2.3, Gingerbread, the fastest version of Android available for smartphones.
Additional key features include:
- 1GHz Samsung application processor that produces rich 3D-like graphics, faster upload and download times and supports HD-like multimedia content
- Dedicated Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) to make playing mobile games, browsing the Web and watching videos a fast, fluid and smooth experience
- AMOLED™ touchscreen technology on a 4-inch Contour Display
- 5 megapixel rear-facing camera and camcorder and front-facing VGA camera.
- Gyroscope sensor to provide a smooth gaming experience when the user tilts the device up or down or pans the phone to the left or right
- 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot capability, supporting up to six Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously
- Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, which allows the device to read information from everyday objects, like stickers and posters embedded with NFC chips
