Nexus S sighted on Best Buy website

The Nexus One successor Google phone briefly appeared on the Best Buy website this morning for T-Mobile's network.

UPDATE: It looks like Best Buy accidentally pictured it as well, below.

The Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)-powered Google phone briefly appeared on the Best Buy website today, all but confirming its existence and hopeful availability for the holidays.  Best Buy quickly pulled the references to the Nexus S but not before it could be scooped up by Google's Cache.  Best Buy also has a picture of an un unidentified Galaxy S-like phone running a 'greener' version of the Android OS at right below:

Thanks Best Buy!

The Nexus S has been described as a Galaxy S variant without a Samsung TouchWiz Skin and with a more rounded back.  It will likely include Samsung's famous 4 -inch Super AMOLED display.

If Google is indeed selling the phone exclusively at Best Buy(BBY), it will be a significant departure from the highly-criticized Nexus One model, which was only available online through Google's website.

Samsung had a big event for a fairly insignificant phone last week and rumors were that there were some production delays with the new phone.  Samsung CSO Omar Khan told me that there was no other reason for the big event in NYC, where Samsung rung the NASDAQ bell.  Suspicious!

Samsung's Galaxy S line dominated Consumer Reports' recent best smartphone study. I loved both the Captivate on AT&T and the Galaxy S Vibrant on T-Mobile when I reviewed them earlier this year.

Samsung builds its own Smartphone chips and has a next generation Orion processor waiting in the wings.  Google phones usually change the game a little bit so putting in a Dual Core ARM Cortex A9 processor into the Nexus S would be a great move for Google (GOOG).  Some specs on the Orion:

" 1080p video encoding and decoding at 30fps, embedded GPS, a native triple display controller, and on-chip HDMI 1.3a interface. You can drive two displays on your mobile device while feeding a third, such as a HDTV, all thanks to the one all-powerful chip inside. Availability for "select customers" is coming late this year, with mass production set for the first half of 2011.

Best Buy website