(VZW) Nexus 4.0.4 Update - First Impressions

[JoeInCT]

So I woke up this morning to find the 4.0.4 Android update downloaded overnight by itself (without forcing it) to my stock Verizon Galaxy Nexus. FINALLY after months of waiting!!!! I installed the update and it seems to have upgraded with only one issue so far: my Multi-Picture Wallpaper app is confused and is displaying the picture cut in half (no biggie).

The worst problem I have had with this phone has been the "thrashing" it seems to do when trying to acquire and keep a signal all day long. I am on replacement phone #5.

So I am curious... how many of you received the update automatically (without forcing) and what is your experience? Has the 4.0.4 update fixed things for you? Has it broken anything? If so, what?

 

[slinky317]

Please use this thread here:

http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-nexus/540972-vzw-nexus-4-0-x-update-discussion.html

 

[JoeInCT]

Please use this thread here:

http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-nexus/540972-vzw-nexus-4-0-x-update-discussion.html

Thanks Slinky. But that thread is too generic for me. Didn't find the qualitative information I was looking for by users who specifically got the update today. Looking for specific feedback on the (non-forced) 4.0.4 update Verizon just pushed out today to non-rooted phones. Thanks.

Please feel free to comment below. Particularly interested in what it fixed and what it breaks.

 

[PA Curmudgeon]

My 3 biggest concerns about my completely stock GNex were...

1) Would not recover a signal. 3G, 4G, WiFi, whichever it was, I could sit and watch it for 10 minutes with no change, made me crazy. I would have to turn the phone off and back on again. I did not suffer this indignity well.

2) AutoCorrect or spell-check were intermittent. Would always work on some apps, and never work on others, such as responding to online forum posts. This was a WFT rage-issue for me as well.

3) Failure to see and respond to the change from portrait to landscape and back again. I could wait 10 minutes... no change. grrr

Immediately after updating to 4.0.4...

1> my GNex now recovers whatever signal is available and does so in mere seconds every time, and...

2> AutoCorrect/spell-check works everywhere, every time, and...

3> Portrait-to-landscape is now both fast and smooth, so much so that is actually impressive.

So, yes, so far I am very impressed with this update, and much happier with the GNex. Had these issues gone unresolved I would have turned it in for a trade to the RAZR Maxx.

Also, I now have GoogleNav speaking the street names for the next turn, a bug that rendered the app useless for me when traveling through tight cities like Baltimore and Wash DC.

Last, I kinda like this thread, I think it is much more specific to this event and felt like a more appropriate place for my thoughts.
.

 

[AntimonyER]

The OP of the other thread by OTD states talk of the upcoming update (4.0.4)will be in that thread. If you have specific issues, feel free to create a thread regarding those issues and we will be more than happy to help.

On second thought, I see what you are doing with this thread. OP, might I suggest changing title to " [VZW] 4.0.4 First Impressions"?

 

[JoeInCT]

On second thought, I see what you are doing with this thread. OP, might I suggest changing title to " [VZW] 4.0.4 First Impressions"?

Thanks AntimonyER. Done.

I feel like the judge in "My Cousin Vinny" when he asks Joe Pesci's character "how does your client plead?" Maybe people will get it now. Won't be posting to this board ever again though.

Any chance of deleting all of the non responsive posts including this one? There has been one responsive comment so far by PA Curmudgeon. This rest is worthless, non-responsive garbage.

 

[AntimonyER]

Thanks AntimonyER. Done.

I feel like the judge in "My Cousin Vinny" when he asks Joe Pesci's character "how does your client plead?" Maybe people will get it now. Won't be posting to this board ever again though.

I hope you reconsider. It was just a confusing title, I think you will find a friendlier crowd now that that is fixed

 

[motionxxusxx]

Has the camera quality improved?

 

[nmbs]

Has anyone else noticed the icons looking a little brighter, a deeper color maybe? They look slightly different. I am talking about the stock apps on the phone.

 

[Connectz]

Oh wow the spell check is working again! That was one of my biggest issues!!! The cursor also seems to go where you want it to as well.

 

[speedyneon]

It still didn't fix the mic muting issue. How the hell can they call it a phone when I can't even complete a phone call without having to call people back?

 

[KillerQ97]

I noticed that, after pressing the volume rocker, you can no longer tap the icon on the left to change instantly to vibrate mode and back.

Sent from my (stock) toaster oven.

 

[johnnybirdman]

Anyone having Swype problems after update?

 

[jkc120]

It still didn't fix the mic muting issue. How the hell can they call it a phone when I can't even complete a phone call without having to call people back?

Yeah, this is ridiculous. They even go as far as to say it is fixed in their own release notes. I guess it could be grounds for an immediate replacement with a phone that can actually make calls.

 

[Sandroidfan]

OTA for mine came last night automatically. First thing I noticed is faster UI speed overall. It almost feels like it got clock speed bump to 1.5Ghz from 1.2Ghz. Navigating through gallery pictures is snappier, more smooth too. Very happy with faster speed.

As for battery, it's too early to tell much. But so far, it seems to last longer with similar usage. Overnight drain in 3G got more than 40% better.

Signal strength in dBm got marginally better, 3~5dbm. But now it holds 4G in my living room where it couldn't with 4.0.2 before. Hand off between 3G and Wifi or 4G seems much faster too in about 2~3 seconds. GPS seems to lock faster too.

I didn't have too much trouble before other than weak 4G reception indoor. But overall this seems like decent improvements though it may not be huge one. Will look into camera and other stuffs soon.

 

[jbdan]

Yeah, this is ridiculous. They even go as far as to say it is fixed in their own release notes. I guess it could be grounds for an immediate replacement with a phone that can actually make calls.

I noticed this when we first saw images of what the new update addresses. Did you notice how vague the wording is pertaining to "one-way audio"? This is what the update says: "Complete calls without experiencing choppy audio, clicking noises, and one-way audio noises" lol

They mean one way audio no-noises? And clicking noises, what is that... also choppy?

I've seen people complain of muted mic, robotic voices, garbled voices, but not the above. Maybe I'm just too literal :laugh:

 

[Jezi_Buckz]

My phone screen seems to come on when I lift up the phone now (I have no lock screen), and it seems that the volume mutes when I lift up the phone and don't know how to change it.

Also now my ChompSMS sound works randomly, so I'm not quite sure if it changed some settings or something, I have been trying to find a way to change it in settings and I can't.

 

[Blue218]

I got the 4.0.4 OTA last night at around 2230 hours and the first thing I noticed was that everything seemed to be a bit smoother and quicker. My signal does seem to be a bit better too. I have not had the one way mic issue since the OTA, almost a full day (I experienced it plenty before). So far I'm pleased.

 

[Danielson2047]

FYI, it doesn't matter whether you got the update over the air or pushed it manually, or whether you're rooted or not (as long as you're running completely stock, rooted). Its the same exact file, no difference whatsoever.

 

[Dubbin1]

It still didn't fix the mic muting issue. How the hell can they call it a phone when I can't even complete a phone call without having to call people back?

I don't understand this mic muting issue, I have a release day phone and have never experienced the problem.

How long are you people on the phone before this happens?

 

[jbdan]

I don't understand this mic muting issue, I have a release day phone and have never experienced the problem.

How long are you people on the phone before this happens?

It hasn't happened to me that I'm aware of in a few months. But it has happened, twice maybe? I think yeah. I was talking to my sister for ~10 minutes once, I was talking, she was going "hello, hello" I said what? She said "hello?". It's like the mic gets muted.

 

[speedyneon]

I don't understand this mic muting issue, I have a release day phone and have never experienced the problem.

How long are you people on the phone before this happens?

I'm not a person who enjoys talking on the phone so I keep my calls as short as possible. But when I do make calls, its almost guaranteed my mic will mute at various times. Today's calls went 10 minutes, 3 minutes, 14 minutes and 6 minutes before muting.

 

[jkc120]

I don't understand this mic muting issue, I have a release day phone and have never experienced the problem.

How long are you people on the phone before this happens?

It is regional. So far the majority of the reports are in MN, Northern CA, SC and NC.

How long I'm on the phone varies. I completed a 47 minute call today without issue and a handful of < 5 minute calls. All fine. Two days ago I had 3 of 4 do it, and all those calls were less than 5 minutes.

It's just entirely random, which makes it even WORSE. I mean, would I make a call to my ISP about a problem or some other call where a disconnect would mean starting all over? Hell no. If I used the phone more than I do for actual voice calls, I'd seriously consider ditching the phone. But I make so few calls and can make important calls from my work phone or land line at home, so I'm just dealing with it. But it's just annoying...

I swear, the first time someone is on a 9-1-1 call with this phone and the mic mute thing happens and someone gets hurt or dies, Verizon is going to get their ass sued to hell.

 

[jkc120]

I wish I could say the same, but I've had it numerous times since flashing the first 4.0.4-based AOKP and then the leaked 4.0.4 radios. I don't want to jinx you, but I've gone a few days without it, too. I personally wouldn't be prepared to say "it's fixed" until I'd gone at least 2 weeks or more without a single occurrence.

 

[jkc120]

'Nuff said.