

5 Months Ago Today the Galaxy Nexus was Released, It Hasn’t Been Updated Since - ambirex
http://www.droid-life.com/2012/05/15/five-months-ago-today-the-galaxy-nexus-was-released-on-verizon-it-hasnt-been-updated-since/

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bri3d
I think the missing "on Verizon" in the Hacker News link is a critical
oversight (or intentional flamebait) - it's worth noting that the Galaxy Nexus
on every other carrier has received updates.

~~~
ajross
It's not even true on Verizon. They pushed an OTA to 4.0.2 soon after launch.
Verizon did indeed decide to skip 4.0.3, for unstated reasons. Last I heard
4.0.4 (a month and a half old) was in the pipe, but who knows.

The broader point is valid, though. Google needs to make this happen, no one
in the rest of the bucket brigade (not the handset vendors, and _certainly_
not the carriers who bear the costs) cares about updates -- only Google and
the users do. Or at the very least make it clear why, when AOSP "releases" a
version, certain developer phones won't be getting it.

~~~
bri3d
I absolutely agree with the broader point, and even the somewhat-shoddily-
supported Verizon Galaxy Nexus is a shining example of up-to-date software in
comparison to most released Android devices.

I think Google are going to be addressing this in a big way in the US with
their recent move to sell unlocked devices directly to consumers. [0]

I am quite interested to see how CDMA (Verizon, Sprint) factors in to Google's
latest device play (since CDMA devices, even "unlocked" ones, need to be
approved by the carrier to be activated).

0:
[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405270230437150457740...](http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304371504577406511931421118.html)

~~~
untog
Their move to sell unlocked devices is not new- they did it with the Nexus One
and it was a failure. They're trying it again now, but I don't expect much to
be different.

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Zikes
This seems to be a trend. I have a Nexus S 4G that went months between the
announcement of ICS and actually receiving it, while other phones were
launched with it.

To me, Nexus means first in line, leading edge, and that expectation was not
met. My trust in Google Android is shaken, and those "features" will no longer
factor in to my decision when purchasing a new phone until Google proves
themselves.

~~~
Zaim3
The T-Mobile Nexus S you're referring to had its 4.0.3 OTA pulled within the
same month it was released due to mass complaints with Android OS
wakelocks/battery drain, instability and other misc things.

For 3 months after that, even their current flagship the yakju Galaxy Nexus
was stuck on an "old" version of Android 4.0.2 whilst they worked on a fixed
version of 4.0.3 which they eventually shipped in March as 4.0.4.

While I'm not saying you should be pleased at the complete lack of
communication/respect given to you, I think their decision to stick with an
older, stable version of the OS on the Nexus S 4G as opposed to pushing an
update they _knew_ was broken was the correct one.

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NeutronBoy
Purely the carrier's fault, which is hard to see from the article. In
Australia (I'm on Telstra) my GNex was supplied with 4.0.2, and a couple of
weeks later was bumped to 4.0.4.

~~~
Aramgutang
Yup, the fault lies entirely with the carriers. Also in Australia, bought my
GNex from Optus in December, shipped with 4.0.1, bumped to 4.0.2 a month or
two later, nothing since.

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machrider
Regardless of which step in the pipeline is the problem, Google needs to
figure this out. It shouldn't be the case that Nexus phones are special
either, in that they stay up to date (normally) while everyone else
languishes. I don't know what the solution should be (improved portability to
ease updates, contractual obligations, etc), but I do know that this leaves a
bad taste in people's mouths. It's not enough for Google to say "we released
the code" if no one can actually run it on their phones.

It's not terribly exciting to be running 2.3 on my Galaxy S Vibrant, for which
I'm still under the 2 year contract period... (And that's with me flashing CM7
to get 2.3, otherwise I'd still be on 2.2.) Meanwhile, Apple phones update
smoothly and regularly.

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deelowe
"On Verizon" This is an issue with the carriers. Buy this one if you want
instant updates:
[https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=galaxy_nexu...](https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=galaxy_nexus_hspa)

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j45
Respectfully, I got a Galaxy note for the full sticker price and am "stuck in
1997" using Gingerbread.

The phone screams for ICS, and it's nowhere in sight for the newest LTE
phones.

The form factor and phone itself is fantastic. I don't like that I miss iOS 3
because it did more.

What I've learnt is:

1) After Android releases a new version,

2) Samsung has to release version with their stamp

3) then it gets passed to your carrier to release a new one.

The Carriers are the bottleneck for the most part given the amount of Samsung
ROMs floating around. They may or may not update it, or release anything.

Many of us have been spoiled with direct updates from Apple.

When I first got the iPhone a few years ago I wondered why Apple was so gung
ho about controlling and directly updating my phones.

In hindsight, it was most welcome.

~~~
barista
Well same applies to Microsoft and their phones have been much better at
getting updates.

~~~
untog
Actually not the case- the Samsung Focus S has been waiting for an update for
months. AT&T said they weren't going to release it at all until public opinion
managed to force their hand.

I suspect Nokia is very different. In fact, I think if the schedules had been
different, Nokia would have been the sole hardware provider for WP.

~~~
brudgers
I've got a Dell WP7 phone. Microsoft has a long B2B relationship with them.

I doubt they would jeopardize that for a Nokia exclusive. It's not really in
Microsoft's DNA.

~~~
untog
Perhaps not, but it seems that Dell isn't really interested in making any more
anyway:

[http://www.wpcentral.com/no-new-dell-windows-
phone-75-device...](http://www.wpcentral.com/no-new-dell-windows-
phone-75-devices-they-take-hiatus)

MS may have had to persuade Dell to make a phone, not the other way around.

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espinet
Probably because the software is perfect.

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barista
My Samsung Focus was released about 18 months ago and I am hoping it to get
updated when the next version of windows phone software comes out. Just saying
:)

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untog
You're hoping, but no-one has confirmed that old devices are going to get WP8.

