Google Starts Selling Unlocked Samsung Galaxy Nexus for $399 on its Play Store

For all AT&T and T-Mobile users who have been patiently waiting for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus to land on their carriers, the wait is technically not over but Google is offering the device to you for a surprisingly low price on $399 as of today on Google Play. This comes along with the announcement that the Google Play ‘Device’ section is now open and the much rumored phone and tablet online store that Google was planning a few weeks back seems to have resulted in this.

The GSM Galaxy Nexus that Google is selling differs slightly from the Verizon and Sprint models which use LTE networks. These devices will run HSPA+ which is considerably slower but since it comes unlocked, you will be able to select from a variety of carriers. The Galaxy Nexus from Google will retain all its hardware and while the device is debatably one of the best Android smartphones out there, it even offers Ice Cream Sandwich Vanilla which is a pure Android experience without an UI overlay like TouchWiz or HTC’s Sense. At $399, it seems extremely tempting especially when compared to the 16GB iPhone 4S which costs $649 if you want it unlocked from Apple.