VZW Nexus No longer a "Developer Phone"

ThorWantNexus · Feb 3, 2012

If this is true, we've all been ****ed

Google No Longer Supports the LTE/CDMA Verizon Galaxy Nexus?

WormDoes · Feb 3, 2012

Verizon just pulled the rug out from under all of us. I bought this phone on the terms that it was a DEVELOPER phone which would receive updates straight from Google. I'm beyond mad right now and I'm going to stop before I say something I can't take back.

Here is the article for you all the read..

Google No Longer Supports the LTE/CDMA Verizon Galaxy Nexus? – Droid Life

Unforgiven · Feb 3, 2012

ThorWantNexus said:
If this is true, we've all been ****ed

Google No Longer Supports the LTE/CDMA Verizon Galaxy Nexus?

Asterdroid · Feb 3, 2012

Google No Longer Supports the LTE/CDMA Verizon Galaxy Nexus?

Yellow Snowman · Feb 3, 2012

Should I return this for the Razr Maxx?

If neither are going to be the phone we want might as well go for the one with badass battery life right?

ThorWantNexus · Feb 3, 2012

my initial reaction was rage at VZW who is most likely at fault, and then latent anger at Google for not having more of a backbone and throwing their weight around at least a little bit. This whole thing might not be true, though... I sure hope it isn't.

nkk · Feb 3, 2012

It is not clear to me this means anything bad. They also pulled the Spring Nexus S 4G, so it seems to be a CDMA thing (in fact, they said no CDMA phone are dev phones).

So...I think if we wait this out, there will be a fix or explanation in a few days. After that, I will decide whether to not care or be angry.

-Nkk

GadgetGeek · Feb 3, 2012

Yikes!.. that was just one bizarre read! :eek:

no idea what to make of this!

alprazolam · Feb 3, 2012

nkk said:
It is not clear to me this means anything bad. They also pulled the Spring Nexus S 4G, so it seems to be a CDMA thing (in fact, they said no CDMA phone are dev phones).

So...I think if we wait this out, there will be a fix or explanation in a few days. After that, I will decide whether to not care or be angry.

-Nkk

+1 Too soon to tell what this means, if anything.

SolidOrange · Feb 3, 2012

moving this thread to the VZ section and merging it with the current thread on the topic. hope you don't mind.

Thai · Feb 3, 2012

"Do no evil" they say........Nexus S 4G is now blacklisted as well!

AntimonyER · Feb 3, 2012

I think we need to hear from Google before we get too hyped up about this. I remember there was also a scare when they changed the storage capacity to 16GB on the LTE GNex specs for a few days, turns out it was just a mistake.

SteveISU · Feb 3, 2012

GadgetGeek · Feb 3, 2012

so... can't help but wonder if this is at all related to why we haven't seen a post 4.0.2 update??

VoidedSaint · Feb 3, 2012

^^ That is awesome

OfTheDamned · Feb 3, 2012

This means that the factory image was removed from the site and that is about it. It doesn't mean that Google is pulling support for the device or that it is being ignored. My real question is why would they pull support for a device that hasn't even been released yet (Sprint Nexus)? That makes no sense what so ever.

It could be an issue with LTE information. It could be something to do with Verizon's apps. It could be an update or even a new page just for CDMA stuff that is going to launch. Until Google comes out and says something nobody knows for sure.

I like Kellex, but I think he is jumping to some serious conclusions here based on very little information.

Thai said:
"Do no evil" they say........Nexus S 4G is now blacklisted as well!

Who said anything is "blacklisted"? The image was removed from a page. That isn't evil or blacklisting anything. That is removing text and links from a page. Until someone says, "__________ is the reason for this." then nobody knows why it happened or what the reasons behind it are. Any other conclusion at this point is speculation.

EDIT: BTW

Update 3: As our friends at Phandroid have pointed out, this could be Google’s way of streamlining their “supported” devices. GSM is a more widely adopted option across the global, so limiting their official support to those phones probably makes more sense. This more than likely has nothing to do with updates or anything that should completely ruin your day.

AntimonyER · Feb 3, 2012

Just to put yall at ease about updates, I don't think we will see any affect whatsoever on updates to our phone. The update was going to have to go through Sammy and Verizon whether this phone was a developer phone or not, due to the carrier specific build, and the power that CDMA carriers have over their networks.

Dagr · Feb 3, 2012

So mad about this right now. Regardless of whether we still get updates or not (and who's to say that we'll get them in a timely manner compared to other builds?)... its about the principle. We were all sold a device with the understanding that it was a google developer phone. That base images would be available for flashing from google & that it would have the full weight and support of google behind it. This was (to many) perhaps the biggest reason of all to go with this device over a competitor.

We will still get updates? I'm sure we will and it probably won't be that big of a deal. But if Google is giving up on this being a dev phone, that means they'll probably stop fighting what VZ wants to do with the phone... meaning we lose the official wallet support fight and who knows whatever other app VZ wants to block us from?

/sigh... very very displeased by everyone involved.

jkc120 · Feb 3, 2012

I'm no lawyer, but isn't this a bait and switch? Or maybe not since verizon never advertised it as a "developer phone"?

Thank God for the open source/dev community. If google disowns the LTE Nexus and Verizon starts bloating it up or delaying releases, at least we will have the devs out there to help.

Or has the cdma/lte stuff been completely yanked from the ICS source or something?

AntimonyER · Feb 3, 2012

jkc120 said:
I'm no lawyer, but isn't this a bait and switch? Or maybe not since verizon never advertised it as a "developer phone"?

Thank God for the open source/dev community. If google disowns the LTE Nexus and Verizon starts bloating it up or delaying releases, at least we will have the devs out there to help.

Or has the cdma/lte stuff been completely yanked from the ICS source or something?

If it is not a developer supported phone, the factory images will no longer be published on the Google site. Also Google will furnish Samsung/Verizon with source code, and they will be responsible for testing, customizing, etc. It also means Verizon can add bloatware via an OTA if they desire (and I think we know they do). It will really be no different than any other phone, except it is stock Android. So basically will be the same experience as the OG Droid.

jkc120 · Feb 3, 2012

AntimonyER said:
If it is not a developer supported phone, the factory images will no longer be published on the Google site. Also Google will furnish Samsung/Verizon with source code, and they will be responsible for testing, customizing, etc. It also means Verizon can add bloatware via an OTA if they desire (and I think we know they do). It will really be no different than any other phone, except it is stock Android. So basically will be the same experience as the OG Droid.

Thank God I run AOKP. I guess more people may decide to unlock/root/flash a custom ROM after this.

I guess I'm not surprised. It IS Verizon... :rolleyes:

FragDroidX · Feb 3, 2012

Dagr said:
So mad about this right now. Regardless of whether we still get updates or not (and who's to say that we'll get them in a timely manner compared to other builds?)... its about the principle. We were all sold a device with the understanding that it was a google developer phone. That base images would be available for flashing from google & that it would have the full weight and support of google behind it. This was (to many) perhaps the biggest reason of all to go with this device over a competitor.

We will still get updates? I'm sure we will and it probably won't be that big of a deal. But if Google is giving up on this being a dev phone, that means they'll probably stop fighting what VZ wants to do with the phone... meaning we lose the official wallet support fight and who knows whatever other app VZ wants to block us from?

/sigh... very very displeased by everyone involved.

Can you show us anywhere on Verizon's website, stores, or literature that says anything at all ( let alone guarantee ) any of the things you claim about the device in your post? Nope, you can't because its not there. The only thing you purchased was a smartphone that says Verizon, Samsung, and Galaxy Nexus on it. It doesn't even have Google branding. That alone should have been a hint that updates might not be coming directly from Google.

AntimonyER · Feb 3, 2012

jkc120 said:
Thank God I run AOKP. I guess more people may decide to unlock/root/flash a custom ROM after this.

I guess I'm not surprised. It IS Verizon...

I am definitely glad I went with my gut and unlocked and rooted the phone right away, even though I am running stock. First sign of bloatware, and a ROMing I will go, and no worries about losing the pictures and videos of my kids...

AntimonyER · Feb 3, 2012

Ok folks, here is a statement from Google about the de-listing. Looks like it was intentional. But possibly not the end of the world.

Hello! This is a quick clarification about support for CDMA devices.
For various technical reasons, recent CDMA Android devices implement core telephony functionality in .apk files provided in binary form by the carriers. To function correctly, these .apk files must be signed by the so-called “platform” key. However, when an individual creates a custom build from the AOSP source code, they don’t use the same signing key as these CDMA flies were signed with.
The result is that these files don’t work properly, and pure AOSP builds running on these devices can’t place calls, access mobile data, and so on. Because we aim to make sure that we are as clear as possible about the degree of support that devices have, we updated the docs over at source.android.com to reflect this reality.
We will still make available as many as possible of the closed-source binaries for these devices, and Nexus devices will continue to have unlockable bootloaders. And, of course, GSM/HSPA+ devices are still supported, as are any other devices we’re able to support. We’ve simply updated the documentation to be clearer about the current extent of CDMA support.
We are of course always working to improve support, and we’ll keep everyone updated as we make improvements. Thanks as always for your interest in AOSP!

Also it seems that while they are not considering it the TRUE developer device, we will still get the same treatment that the Nexus S 4G has been getting on Sprint, and my statement about not getting factory images, updates, risk of bloatware is incorrect.

jkc120 · Feb 3, 2012

https://twitter.com/#!/rhcp011235/status/165566275823742976

@rhcp011235 Rhcp

.@jbqueru according to a confidential information Google doesn't want to pay the license fees for vzw 700mhz spectrum

Hmm...

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