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Samsung and Google Delay Android Handset Launch in Wake of Steve Jobs' Death

Friday October 7, 2011 9:47 am PDT by Eric Slivka
Earlier today, Samsung and Google announced that they would be canceling a previously-scheduled event set for Tuesday at which the companies were planning to introduce the Nexus Prime, the first handset to run Google's latest "Ice Cream Sandwich" version of Android.
Samsung and Google decide to postpone the new product announcement at CTIA Fall. We agree that it is just not the right time to announce a new product. New date and venue will be shortly announced.
Speculation immediately turned to the possibility that the companies delayed the launch out of respect for Steve Jobs, who passed away on Wednesday, although the companies did not offer an explanation for the event cancelation.


AllThingsD now reports that Samsung and Google did indeed cancel the event due to Jobs' death, feeling that the launch would be inappropriate given the mourning process still going on throughout the tech industry and the world.
The decision to postpone things was made late last night at the top levels of both companies, sources said, with Jobs’ death being the reason. There are no delays with the product itself, sources insisted.
For its part, Apple has continued with its launch plans for the iPhone 4S, introducing the device on Tuesday even as company executives likely knew that Jobs' passing was imminent. Pre-orders for the iPhone 4S began early today as scheduled, with availability set for next Friday, October 14th in the initial batch of launch countries.

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r2shyyou
96 months ago
That's respect.
Rating: 89 Votes
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DESNOS
96 months ago
I doubt steve himself knew how much people loved him. Even the competitors loved the man. Steve was never afraid to offer advice to friends and enemies alike.
Rating: 76 Votes
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troop231
96 months ago
Mad props for Google & Samsung!
Rating: 66 Votes
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samcraig
96 months ago



That's respect.


Agreed. Say what you want about google and samsung. But this was a classy move.
Rating: 62 Votes
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CptnJustc
96 months ago
Nice, but I don't think etiquette required that. Maybe there was a lot of anti-Apple marketing / rhetoric involved in the original plans?
Rating: 38 Votes
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rorschach
96 months ago

I doubt steve himself knew how much people loved him. Even the competitors loved the man. Steve was never afraid to offer advice to friends and enemies alike.


Actually, I think it's more likely that it's the fans of these companies who don't realize that.

It's the "fanboys" who make it personal, whereas the people creating these products know (for the most part) that the competition is just business. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates never hated each other like Apple and Microsoft fanboys have hated each other.
Rating: 37 Votes
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GeekLawyer
96 months ago
Surprisingly classy.
Rating: 35 Votes
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JSpence
96 months ago
Wow. Class.

It's great to see someone stop and admit it. Damn, this hurts.

I thought I would've gotten over the down feeling in a day, I'm usually pretty quick as a man. But like so many others, for someone I didn't know at all, Steve's passing is not something small. This man changed the world.

They just earned themselves a little more respect in my book. You've got to give it to get it.
Rating: 25 Votes
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Aduntu
96 months ago
It's extremely naive to think that the rescheduling was simply out of respect for Steve. There's more to the story.
Rating: 25 Votes
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zama36
96 months ago

Nice, but I don't think etiquette required that. Maybe there was a lot of anti-Apple marketing / rhetoric involved in the original plans?


Agree with you on that one. I bet there was something in the marketing that would have provoked a backlash considering Jobs' passing.
Rating: 25 Votes

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