Samsung Galaxy Nexus launches in UK with Ice Cream Sandwich

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the first smartphone featuring Android Ice Cream Sandwich, went on sale in the UK on Thursday as planned, despite rumours that it could be delayed until next week.

A message from the official Google Nexus Twitter account this morning said that the handset will be available from 8am at Phones4U, and from network operators O2, Three and Vodafone over the coming days.

A small queue of Android fans was spotted outside Phones4U's Oxford Street store near the V3 offices earlier this morning, no doubt keen to get their hands on the latest version of the mobile operating system.

An 'exclusive launch event' promotion will also see the first 100 customers receive a £250 voucher to spend on content such as apps and music.

The Galaxy Nexus has a 4.65in Super Amoled HD screen with a resolution of 1,280x720, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and the choice of 16GB or 32GB of internal storage.

The 135g handset also includes a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera and a rear-facing 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, zero shutter lag and full HD recording capabilities.

Near field communication, HSPA+ and LTE connectivity are all provided, and the device features face recognition technology for locking and unlocking the handset.

Highly anticipated features of Android Ice Cream Sandwich include an improved keyboard and spell check, enhanced voice dictation and control over data use.