*Official Galaxy Nexus Pre-Release speculation thread

eibook · Dec 11, 2011

pcriz said:
And the argument is that adding an app isn't modifying the OS, thats the whole thing. It is still a pure ANDROID experience. What it isn't is skinned in BLUR, Sense, or Touch Wiz.

Why does Verizon need to add the app?

If someone wants the apps they can add them themselves. Older feature phones didn't come pre-installed with backup assistant, you downloaded it if you wanted it.

vikingking50 · Dec 11, 2011

BTW, thought I should share my RS experience. Lady said they don't have any in stock and they will release on the 19th. I personally don't think she knew what she was talking about and am still banking on the 15th however. FWIW.

TeeJ911 · Dec 11, 2011

If my understanding of law is correct encrypting a boot loader on a piece of equipment you have bought is illegal and also voiding a contract when a user tries remove that encryption and brick their phone is also illegal. I think Google has enough exposure and market share in smart phones that a route of actually taking the carriers and manufacturers to task in the court would be a good course of action.

Sushibagel · Dec 11, 2011

vikingking50 said:
This concerns me...

Agreed, I'm a bit surprised everyone wasn't all over that link.

eibook · Dec 11, 2011

jdduncan11 said:
Wikipedia??? Seriously?

What do you want, Encyclopedia Britannica? If that article is incorrect, log in and fix it.

jdduncan11 · Dec 11, 2011

eibook said:
Why does Verizon need to add the app?

If someone wants the apps they can add them themselves. Older feature phones didn't come pre-installed with backup assistant, you downloaded it if you wanted it.

Just sayin...

gapi · Dec 11, 2011

Appleanche said:
Also - the headphone jack is on the bottom likely due to the curved screen. It also just makes a hell of a lot more sense. Think about it, put your phone into your pocket.. which way is it facing? The bottom faces up, so the jack there will too.

Heh, I didn't know it until I read this but I agree. I always carry in my pocket and always put it in top down.

compwagon · Dec 11, 2011

TeeJ911 said:
If my understanding of law is correct encrypting a boot loader on a piece of equipment you have bought is illegal and also voiding a contract when a user tries remove that encryption and brick their phone is also illegal. I think Google has enough exposure and market share in smart phones that a route of actually taking the carriers and manufacturers to task in the court would be a good course of action.

Manufacturers can do whatever they want to their phones, unless it does something to violate your privacy or some other such illegal action. It is not illegal for them to ship with an encrypted bootloader.

That's part of the downside to having an open OS. Anyone in the chain can be modify it ad nauseam.

rooktdphi · Dec 11, 2011

I know people are unhappy with the fact that the backup app and my vzw apps are loaded on the phone. However, to me it's no different than some of the Google bloat that will also no doubt be on there that I have no use for (latitude, places, and no doubt g+/g+ messenger)

There is no such thing as a phone that will have everything that makes one person happy, these phones are made for the masses and ultimately there is no doubt that there will likely be one thing that everyone will be slightly displeased with, but we will still love the phone and still buy it once we are able to

MMcCraryNJ · Dec 11, 2011

lol now everyone is worrying about updates?!

You guys were getting yourselves sick over 2 Verizon apps. Then the camera. Then Google Wallet. Now you are worried about updates?

I'm going to post this again. It's a great read from Android Central's Jerry Hildenbrand. For those of who you don't know, Jerry is a total Android nerd, probably bigger than anyone in this thread. He's a hacker and a developer. He KNOWS his stuff. And I value his opinion and perspective over some no-name article writer over at XDA trying to make a name for themselves by stirring the pot.

Anyway. here is the article:

Editorial: Is the Verizon Galaxy Nexus really a Nexus? You betcha

I'll quote a few of the major points. IMO, the article responds to every point brought up about the Nexus by everyone here.

Google Wallet isn't part of AOSP (The Android Open Source Project). It's included with the Sprint Nexus S 4G (which is the only phone to offer Google Wallet without hacks) because of some sort of deal between Google and Sprint that we don't like, understand, or really know anything about. Come to think of it, the same thing can be said about Google Voice integration. Why Sprint-only, you ask? Like I mentioned, we don't really know, but Google needs somewhere to test these things and Sprint was willing. Let's be clear here -- no other Nexus device has ever had Google Wallet without hacking it on. This means the Verizon Galaxy Nexus is just like the penta-band unlocked GSM Galaxy Nexus in this regard. Or any Nexus S that's not the Sprint Nexus S 4G.

The MyVerizon app and some backup assistant app aren't part of AOSP either. They have no business being on a Nexus device, except for one thing -- both are "required" for Android devices on the Verizon network. Them's the rules, and even Google will follow them. Contact backup assistant is there because Verizon doesn't want to be swamped with phone calls about people not being able to migrate their contacts to Android. It happens more than we think. Lose backup assistant, and spend thousands in unwarranted tech support. Verizon is too smart for that (you don't become the top carrier in the U.S. unless you're smart and a tiny bit evil) so you bet your ass they are going to cover all the bases they can.

MyVerizon is now needed because we live in a time where unlimited data is slowly phasing out. Verizon went with tiered plans versus bandwidth throttling, so they are obligated to let you know exactly how much data they say you used. Remember those class-action suits where Verizon had to pay every person on earth $12? Verizon doesn't want anything like that to happen again. Just as important, current Verizon customers need to be able to have access to apps they purchased through the Verizon area of the Market and Vcast. MyVerizon helps authenticate those phones so they have access to them. Just because you will root and remove MyVerizon and never use VCAST doesn't mean everyone else will.

Finally, theres the matter of updates and inclusion in AOSP. Google will write all the updates for the Verizon Galaxy Nexus. Read it again if you need to, let that sink in for a minute, then we'll continue. Yes, there will be a bit of extra testing involved with each to make sure the Verizon apps work and that network specific code works as written, but we're talking minor differences, not weeks and weeks of delay. Nobody really thinks Sprint or T-Mobile or AT&T has no hand in network testing on existing Nexus devices do they? Any delay in updates will be small, and still miles better than the Fascinate fiasco.

chanop · Dec 11, 2011

A great reference on how bootloaders work:

So you want to know about Bootloaders? Here's the post to read. : Android

ebe3692 · Dec 11, 2011

although we will probably have the phone in our hands in a few days. it irks me a little that we will probably never know the reasoning for the delay.

I know, I know - verizon never committed to a date, the dont "owe" us anything, etc.
so what? consumers need to be active and engaged and demanding transparency in our corporations. I want to know as much about a product I am buying as I can - where do the supplies come from, how do they treat workers, the environment, how do they handle competition.

They may or may not give it to me, but it is my right to ask for it.

Look, I am not leaving verizon over this so, sure, it wont hurt them now - but they should consider the value of consumer loyalty goes way beyond a single purchase.
Every company stumbles at some point, and there will come a time when they will need loyal consumers to stick with them through tough times - look at netflix. You can bet if zappos has trouble, I will give them the benefit of the doubt. Verizon? I'm gone.

But I disagree that I should just stay quiet because Verizon has meet their bare minimum obligation by not missing a nonexistent release date.

sorry- went on kind of a rant there

eibook · Dec 11, 2011

jdduncan11 said:
Just sayin...

I know that this discussion is "beating a dead horse" but so is 95% of this forum

firecracker · Dec 11, 2011

callmeox said:
VzW appreciates the extra profit from your line when you go unsubsidized. The 'free agent fee' is pure profit.

There are pluses and minuses to subsidized/unsubsidized, but neither sticks it to VzW.

My thought process is that I will buy it subsidized from Verizon. If I stay with them for the entire contract length, great and I just saved myself $300. If not, then I will pay the early termination fee and be at right around the same price as an unsubsidized phone. Am I failing to see something here?

nyg010 · Dec 11, 2011

for shi_s and giggles:
Just called Verizon-
CSR: "Oh the Nexus, thats going to be a very good phone. I think it's coming out next month.."
Me (thinking in my head): Lady, don't even go there..

TeeJ911 · Dec 11, 2011

compwagon said:
Manufacturers can do whatever they want to their phones, unless it does something to violate your privacy or some other such illegal action. It is not illegal for them to ship with an encrypted bootloader.

Let me correct myself. Shipping it encrypted is one thing but to not allow someone to unlock it is another. It would be like buying a box of cereal but the box won't let you open it except between the hours of 8am and 12pm.

BTW calling VZW 'Big Red' reminds me of the USSR.....I suppose that analogy is used in that context

pcriz · Dec 11, 2011

TeeJ911 said:
If my understanding of law is correct encrypting a boot loader on a piece of equipment you have bought is illegal and also voiding a contract when a user tries remove that encryption and brick their phone is also illegal. I think Google has enough exposure and market share in smart phones that a route of actually taking the carriers and manufacturers to task in the court would be a good course of action.

compwagon said:
Manufacturers can do whatever they want to their phones, unless it does something to violate your privacy or some other such illegal action. It is not illegal for them to ship with an encrypted bootloader.

That's part of the downside to having an open OS. Anyone in the chain can be modify it ad nauseam.

It isn't illegal per say, but it does violate some FCC regs to lock the phone. The loop hole for any carrier is that they must maintain a level of "reasonable" network management..

How do you quantify "reasonable" in this situation.. Well thats up to the lawyers..

altimax98 · Dec 11, 2011

Sushibagel said:
Agreed, I'm a bit surprised everyone wasn't all over that link.

Not to be a major dick but why does this matter. Everyone thinks this is a huge new thing but it isn't. The NS and NS4G got different updates and such, they were not identical with getting updates.

But honestly I have taken a whopping 1 OTA in my life on my own phone. It was driving with my brand new OG and it was going from 2.0 to 2.0.1. I was driving home from Verizon. I'm buying a nexus so that the phone will be 'supported' by google not updated. I will never take a OTA update, rather ill get a rom with the update after the one all you complainers are just getting. The hardware support is what we want and despite it not being in the source yet it will be there once its released and the fact that the devs can build a rom for a phone no one has yet built off the GSM varient proves my case...

In Devs I Trust

Flakpheiser · Dec 11, 2011

My OG Droid is terrible. I can't wait much longer.

Androidcurious · Dec 11, 2011

kamon211 said:
The whole point of a google experience phone should be direct updates from google and no Carrier bloat, kind of like the Android version of an iPhone.

With the amount of pull that vzw has shown so far, adding bloat, removing GW, etc, I dont think we will see direct updates from google, not without the touch of verizon. I think the real google experience phone will only be the GSM variant nexus.

I don't think we will see anymore phones like my og Droid on vzn, not unless they are legally forced to open up their network to compatible devices

Updates to the VZW iPhone have been delayed compared to the ATT version. It has to do with the different networks and yeah...probably a VZW thing on top of it. I guess we'll know if it's just a CDMA thing or a VZW thing next year should Sprint get updates the same time as ATT while VZW lags behind.

pcriz · Dec 11, 2011

MMcCraryNJ said:
lol now everyone is worrying about updates?!

You guys were getting yourselves sick over 2 Verizon apps. Then the camera. Then Google Voice. Now you are worried about updates?

I'm going to post this again. It's a great read from Android Central's Jerry Hildenbrand. For those of who you don't know, Jerry is a total Android nerd, probably bigger than anyone in this thread. He's a hacker and a developer. He KNOWS his stuff. And I value his opinion and perspective over some no-name article writer over at XDA trying to make a name for themselves by stirring the pot.

Anyway. here is the article:

Editorial: Is the Verizon Galaxy Nexus really a Nexus? You betcha

I'll quote a few of the major points. IMO, the article responds to every point brought up about the Nexus by everyone here.

Wait wait wait, whats up with Google Voice?

Mr. Link · Dec 11, 2011

nyg010 said:
for shi_s and giggles:
Just called Verizon-
CSR: "Oh the Nexus, thats going to be a very good phone. I think it's coming out next month.."
Me (thinking in my head): Lady, don't even go there..

LOL. Not to stir the pot...because I think I'm going to have a heart attack with all the SALT I've had lately, but I have a friend that works at a Corporate store that told me the same. Next month. I've resigned myself to..."whatever". We'll know when we know. I'm going back to my theory of not really "wanting" it and then it will come (just like love/one of my prior analogies).

vespadaddy · Dec 11, 2011

Sushibagel said:
Agreed, I'm a bit surprised everyone wasn't all over that link.

fastboot oem unlock cures all.

cggorman · Dec 11, 2011

DSCR said:
Excellent!

What are your real world impressions of the phone radio strength? Will it hold signal in weaker areas?

How does the GPS work? Is it slow to obtain location like many sammys in the past?

Is the camera as bad as has been shown on reviews?

Review?

Thanks!

WRT reception, I feel the bars report low. The GNex seems to have reception on par with the OG Droid despite seldom reporting more than 2 bars. I live in a rural area and drive thru farm land, so I guess I'd say its fine in weaker areas.

I think the camera is fine. It won't replace a real camera, but I don't think its realistic to expect it to. It's leagues better than the OG. Leagues.

GPS is outstanding. More accurate and faster lock than the OG.

THE PHONE GETS HOT. I think this is gonna be a source for much complaints from casual users. I'm quite used to it coming from a highly overclocked OG, but many people are not. The screen dissipates at least half the total heat, which is new to me. I think the major contributor is the 4G radio.

Wilfred B · Dec 11, 2011

Jonathan SCE said:
True, the "bloat" I wish I could remove are the Facebook and Twitter app. I don't use Facebook and I have TweetDeck for Twitter. And maybe the YouTube app. You cannot truly remove any of them, just their updates.

There is neither Facebook or Twitter on the Nexus. At least not mine. Rooted now too

***Official Galaxy Nexus Pre-Release speculation thread**

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