Samsung has just announced, rather sensationally, that the product launch it had planned in conjunction with Google for next week's CTIA will not in fact be happening. Here's the statement in full:

"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."

Alternately known as the Galaxy Nexus or the Nexus Prime, this device was widely expected to give us a first look at Google's next major iteration of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, but for whatever reason, the two companies have decided to push its official debut back. It was only this morning that we got a glimpse of a smartphone looking very much like this next Nexus -- a leak that may or may not have anything to do with this sudden change of plans. Either way, Eric Schmidt promised us we'd see Ice Cream Sandwich by the end of November, so we may be facing a delay, but it should be a relatively small one.

Via: Stuff.tv

Update: We've just received an email from Samsung Mobile's director of PR in the US, Kim Titus, confirming the situation:

Samsung and Google have decided to postpone the Samsung Mobile Unpacked event during the CTIA in San Diego, previously scheduled for Oct. 11.

Under the current circumstances, both parties have agreed that this is not the appropriate time for the announcement of a new product. We would ask for the understanding of our clients and media for any inconvenience caused. We will announce a new date and venue in due course.

Update 2: In a statement to both All Things D and CNET, a Samsung spokesperson has confirmed the widespread supposition that Steve Jobs' death is the cause for the delay. There's no information yet on when the rescheduled launch event will be taking place.