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The Samsung Galaxy Nexus has disappeared from Google’s online shop — but it’s coming back stronger with Jelly Bean on board.
The Galaxy Nexus is on sale directly from Google Play, Google’s online shop for apps, games, movies and music, and its own phones and tablets. Or rather it was — the Galaxy Nexus is not currently listed. But the big G says it’ll be back next week, complete with the next generation of Android software: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
The mysterious vanishing Nexus may have done its disappearing act because of legal shenanigans from Apple. The rival firm managed to win a ban on the Nexus from a US court in a dispute over patents, and has just posted a $96m bond to underwrite the ban.
The ban is temporary and protects Apple as the two tech giants prepare to meet head-on in a US court. The patent at issue relates to searching multiple areas for information through a single search interface, as well as using predetermined heuristic algorithms corresponding to each search area.
The ban is bad news for other companies too, as it relates to features found across Android software. The outcome of this case could change Android forever.
But Google promises that the Galaxy Nexus will be back next week, loaded with the newest Android update, Jelly Bean. It’s possible that Google has redesigned the software to get around the ban, as well as adding new features including mind-reading Google Now, voice search, improved notifications and much more.
Jelly Bean makes its debut on the 7-inch Google Nexus 7 tablet, coming this month for just £160.
Has the Galaxy Nexus just become a more attractive proposition? Is Apple right to ban rival phones? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.
