Bad news for Brits -- Google's raw-Android version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 is launching only in the US.

Other nations will have to watch from the sidelines it seems, as Google has told CNET that the Google Edition version of the S4, which made its grand debut at Google's I/O conference last night, will be US-only at launch.

The freshly unveiled variant looks identical to the normal Galaxy S4, and has the same high-end hardware, including a 5-inch 1080p display and a quad-core processor.

Switch it on though, and you'll see the difference. The S4 is running 'stock', or 'vanilla' Android -- a pure distillation of Google's operating system, free of Samsung's extra features and TouchWiz interface tweaks.

That means you miss out on the shed-load of bespoke apps that Samsung has created for the S4, but also clears away a lot of clutter, and will bring the phone to the front of the queue when new versions of Android are released.

One thing we're still not clear on is the name. The moniker, 'Google Edition' was tied to an earlier rumour, but Google hasn't divulged exactly what it will be calling its newest toy.

Though it's staying tight-lipped, I suspect Google may eventually bring the stock-Android S4 to the UK and other countries, but for now there's no word. Maybe it's possible that Google will release the pure Android software as an easy-to-apply download for S4 owners outside the US, or perhaps the LTE radios inside the S4 mean it's trickier than you think to give it a global release.

Brits frustrated at the news could find solace in the arms of the Nexus 4, a powerful own-brand mobile that costs only £239.

Are you gutted not to be getting the Nexus-esque S4? Or would you rather snuggle up with the Nexus 4? Let me know in the comments..

At Google I/O in San Francisco on Wednesday, Hugo Barra, Android's VP product management announced an unlocked "Google Edition" of the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone.

"What you're seeing here is real," Barra said. He showed the user interface of the smartphone (pictured below), which he says is the same as the interface Google sells on its Nexus devices. "It's Google's take on Android," Barr added, noting that it will be available directly through Google Play in the U.S.

For the most part, the device will remain largely the same. It will feature 4G LTE and 16GB of storage space.

However, the handset will offer a skinless Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Nexus experience, it will come with its bootloader already unlocked, and users will receive system updates as they come in.

This unlocked GS4 version will be available starting June 26 and will work on AT&T and T-Mobile networks. It can be purchased directly from the Google Play Store.

For many, the lack of a new branded-Nexus flagship item from Google is a disappointment. Especially considering the popularity of last year's $349 16GB LG Nexus 4 (8GB, $299).

However, a pure Android experience on the high-powered handset is still attractive, especially for those who do not fancy Samsung's oft-criticized TouchWiz user interface.

While it remains unclear just how much has been stripped away from this GS4 version, it'll be interesting to see if the vanilla Android GS4 turns out to be more enticing than the original.