Samsung Galaxy Nexus with Ice Cream Sandwich official pics

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is finally here. Click through the images above to see the official pictures of the hotly anticipated new flagship Android phone -- previously known as the Nexus Prime -- introducing Ice Cream Sandwich and spoiling for a fight with the iPhone 4S.

The Nexus Prime throws down the gauntlet with one heck of a screen. It's a giant 4.65-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen, with a 100,000:1 contrast ratio and high definition 720x1,280-pixel resolution. That sounds perfect for dazzlingly sharp movies, videos and games.

The 16:9 display is framed by an extra-thin bezel so the screen fills as much of the face of the phone as possible, with a subtle curve to the case to nestle in your palm. The case is slimmer than 7mm at its snake-hipped thinnest point, just pipping Motorola's 7.1mm Droid Razr, announced last night.

Inside is a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 32GB of storage and a 1,750mAh battery. It boasts NFC for wireless payments and communicating with other phones by waving them at each other.

Although it shoots high-definition video, the Nexus Prime only packs a 5-megapixel camera -- as opposed to the 8-megapixel job in the new iPhone 4S, Samsung's own Galaxy S2, and many others. It does have face detection, special effects and rapid-fire snapping, among other built-in features.

Several UK operators have confirmed they will sell the phone, so keep it CNET UK for all the details of UK price and availability, as well as everything you need to know about Ice Cream Sandwich. Don't go changin'!

Is the Nexus Prime in prime position, or is it a shadow of the S2 or 4S? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below or on our Facebook page.