Purported kernel source for the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition released

Codenamed GT-i9505G, a new entry on Samsung's Open Source Release Center set the web abuzz with what is purportedly the kernel source for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition, a joint venture between the South Korea-based giant and Google.

Now, that “G” at the end shouldn't be necessarily linked with the Mountain View behemoth, for Samsung has released a number of devices in the past with similar naming conventions, such as the SGH-S275G or the 9100G. Fueling the speculations, though, is the fact that the announced release date of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition, the 26th of June, is, well – tomorrow. That, coupled with the fact that the standard Snapdragon 600-powered Samsung Galaxy S4 goes by the almost identical GT-i9505 model number, gives some considerable credibility to the assumption that what we're looking at is indeed the source code for the all-Google edition of the flagship.

Those of you who are scratching their head wondering what's so special about the Google Edition should look no further – the device features identical hardware to that of the original Galaxy S4. Where it differs, however, is the software – at the expense of Samsung-specific features such as Air Gestures and Eye-tracking controls, within awaits an untempered with, stock Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, and the considerable perk of being among the first to be graced by any of Google's new updates. Not enough? The duo has you covered - you also get a completely unlocked device (yes, the bootloader is unlocked, too), carrier- and contract-free, at $649 for the 16GB variant, available directly from Google's site.

source: OSRC via AndroidAuthority