No, this isn’t a turkey-induced hallucination: ads for Verizon’s LTE-capable Galaxy Nexus have begun to pop up on a number of Android fan sites, and they clearly state that Samsung and Google’s latest joint effort will retail for $199.
AndroidPolice notes that the ads are being run by a company called NetShelter, an ad network who coordinates these sorts of marketing efforts directly with carriers and manufacturers. The ad certainly looks legitimate, but it may not have been ready for prime time: clicking the Learn More button takes users to Verizon’s holiday landing page where the Galaxy Nexus is conspicuously absent. Also absent is any solid information on a release date: part of the ad’s URL hints at a November 29 launch, but a recently leaked Verizon document points to a December 8 release alongside the Droid 4.
Nearly all of Verizon’s recent 4G-friendly heavyweights have hit store shelves at $299 (barring a few great promos), so seeing the Galaxy Nexus undercut the competition by $100 is a bit of a shock. That price tag could be part of a holiday promotion meant to drive units into people’s hands, but I certainly hope not. Discounting a long-awaited device after it launches is one thing, but potentially launching a device with a lower price tag only to raise it later may not sit well with people.
Even so, my wallet just let out a sigh of relief. If that price tag holds true (and my fingers are crossed as I write this), then Apple’s line of iPhones may see some strong competition in the next few weeks.