Galaxy Nexus 4.3 OTA Upgrade?

[Darkstar_Zero]

So back to the matter at hand. Still no update huh? VZW has got to be the worst wireless carrier in the states. How does this inspire trust in a company, when that company obviously doesn't care about its customers. This update has been around for coming in on a year. But VZW would play us for fools and tell us it's Samsungs fault when samsung doesn't touch the software. If I didn't already have lines on contract I might consider switching, AT&T seems to have better prices anyway with similar coverage in my area of home and work. Yeah, in the end I'll probably stay at verizon... But I'm not very happy about it.

[RealFramCire]

Im as angry as you are about most of what you said but you do need to know that Verizon DOES have the same 4 lines for $160 that AT&T does because the AT&T plan does NOT include the device charges (approx $25 per device).  Verizon has same plan through edge with discounts.  It is very important to realize that AT&T pricing is almost identical to Verizon in almost all areas,  I went to ATT to talk about switching because Verizon has lied to me directly over the phone at least 1 time and I am frustrated at that,

With this said..... IS VZW ever going to update this phone the final time like EVERY other phone has?  There is no excuse for not pushing the final update.

[vzw_customer_support]

RealFramCire,

I'm saddened to learn you're considering leaving us, I don't want to see you go. We definitely have options for you and offer you nothing but the truth. I apologize if this has not been the case so far. We offer a line access discount on our MORE Everything plans for lines you have out of contract.

AdaS_VZW
Follow us on Twitter at @VZWSupport 

[Ann154]

I see you didn't address the OS update question. The Galaxy Nexus deserves to get the last update it is owed. This delay is even worse than the updates for more recent devices.

[vzw_customer_support]

Ann154,
I certainly understand your concern about an update. However, I don't have any details about an update. You can periodically check our News Center here http://bit.ly/n5snpq or the device support page here http://vz.to/1f5wQtU for any new alerts. Thank you.

TominqueBo_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

[ShawnJG]

Another month has passed. The markets seem to have gone quiet as people give up and VZW Customer Support still has no information to share, correct?

I purchased the phone and, more importantly, renewed my contracted two years of service from VZW at the close of 2012. That was one year after release, and I recognize that not buying bleeding edge technology puts me at odds with a desire for the updated OS, except that at the time the Nexus 4 had yet to be released. I chose that phone for the NEXUS program, to be able to get the current releases - both bugs and efficiencies. I was wrong. Not only has Verizon dragged it's feet well beyond an acceptable testing time frame, but it does so in silence. (Several of the features of the 4.3 update would be security features for me to help protect my family and expand my ability to do my daily job.)

A product I had for less than 6 months was no longer supported, yet I am held in contract for 24. This is according to Google's 18 month policies and Verizon's inability to manage their updates. At least Google can broadcast the end of support for a device. I pay a large amount of money to Verizon Wireless every month for silence (supplemented by the need of a Network Extender as VZW cannot provide coverage to my home - so even the services I am paying for, Verizon is providing over my internet connection that I am paying another ISP for).

Because I renewed my contract when I got the Galaxy "Nexus", Verizon policy is to not allow it to be unlocked regardless of my current account standing, unless I travel internationally. I confirmed this in calls to customer support. I choose not to take further steps to alter the OS until I am legally free to do so.

I do not want a new phone. I do not trust Verizon to provide security updates necessary to the phone after the experiences I have had with the one I have now.

I feel that this program was misrepresented, at best, by Verizon. I have watched this forum thread over the past year and feel that any exchange in the forums with customer support, mirrored by my direct experiences, is an example of how little a consumer matters. I write this as a form of catharsis.

I am tired of the platitudes. I am tired of the misrepresentation, patronization, and worst of all, the silence.

[jtown]

I feel your pain.  I've suggested that carriers should be required to provide all possible security updates for their phones for the length of the customer's contract or until the OS vendor stops providing support.  The GNex doesn't have 4.4 support but it does have 4.3 support and Verizon chose not to release it.  After months of telling people they were testing it to ensure a positive customer experience they just stopped responding to inquiries.  There's no excuse for the Galaxy Nexus being stuck on 4.2.

It shouldn't be necessary to legislate this sort of thing but Verizon's made it pretty clear they don't take updates seriously and it's a security problem.  People are required to continue to use devices that haven't had OS security patches in over a year.  Or pay hundreds of dollars for a new device.  Nice choice.

[Tidbits]

Read the other thread. Google didn't submit code to Verizon. It all starts with the manufacturer. Ask Google about code submission and source. Both things they refuse to answer or give. I already said this would happen long before the phone was released. If Google didn't release any code like they did for the other versions then they are treating it differently. Google even backtracked what they said about carriers when they did the Sony AOSP project. Carriers were the least of concerns.

Google said it wouldn't be treated differently. Being CDMA automatically makes it different than the GSM counterparts and approval processes are a lot more than just the carrier.

FYI I own a GNex for Verizon as well as the GSM counterpart.

[ShawnJG]

@Tidbits, what other thread?

I am aware of Google not providing any code for 4.4 as the Galaxy Nexus is out of their 18 month support window, as I had said. I am aware of the recent discontinuation of the Vodaphone 4.3 update by Samsung and it's restoration. I am aware that Google doesn't have the Factory Image for 4.3 available for either Toro or ToroPlus, though I'm also aware of the Sprint CDMA (ToroPlus) 4.3 release.

I understand that Toro wasn't treated the same from the beginning. I am, however, paying money to VERIZON for the device and services*. Therefore I would expect VERIZON to be providing reasonable information in the event that they are unable to support the device and program, whatever the reason. Google has obviously decided that allowing the customization was a tremendous mistake as they have not released anything to operate on Verizon's network since, with the exception of the Nexus 7 LTE that has also turned into a debacle because Verizon is able to ignore FCC requirements and little to no action is taken. (Note: I am also aware of Verizon stating that Google requested the suspension of certification.)

For anyone who hasn't given up: what legitimate information is available on why the 4.3 update cannot be released to the Verizon Galaxy Nexus?

Verizon: Do you have any information beyond these two sites? Verizon Wireless News Center, http://www.verizonwireless.com/support/devices/Samsung/5801.html

Do you have any steps that can be taken to provide mitigation for the lack of support that was promised on this device and its services, which you are being paid for? Is there any actions that do not involve a consumer paying additional fees to buy an alternate device or end service with your company?

[There is enough misinformation loose among consumers. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the only way to request assistance is to tie up my immediate time by starting a live chat, making a call to support, stopping in person to a store, or to utilize the forum where Verizon Support has no current information and as such the consumers must speculate among themselves? ]

Sources:

http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/31/5051958/google-galaxy-nexus-will-not-be-upgraded-android-4-4-kit-...

Factory Images for Nexus Devices - Android — Google Developers

Android 4.3 comes to Sprint's Samsung GALAXY Nexus

http://buzzmachine.com/2013/11/06/the-verizon-saga-continues/

[Tidbits]

Sorry fansites don't bother actually looking at the facts and Google hasn't said much to the facts.  I said this about a month before the Galaxy Nexus was released, and I will say it again.  Verizon probably will not say a thing, because it's not on them.  Factory image doesn't mean a thing.  any version is fine.  What matters is the HAL.

Google is lying about treating the device like any other Nexus device(Google can do no evil right?).  CDMA is different than GSM and has to be treated different.  Verizon themselves will not give special treatment to any manufacturer or company even if they have a deal to sell devices.  Just look at Verizon's history for the past 10 years.  I going to love it when someone brings up the iPhone...  iOS actually goes through the SAME testing.  The only difference...  They don't release anything until ALL their devices are ready, and so it looks "timely".  Join ADC for more information, and read their change logs on every beta.  Verizon is apart of ADC and does testing at the same time Apple works on the OS.  Something which Google doesn't do, and something other manufacturers don't do as seen with recent reports(When they built the Nexus 5, and timeline release charts from Motorola, HTC, and from Sony AOSP reports).

Google CAN release the HAL and RIL without any repercussions.  Where are they?  People have been asking for them for a while from Google.  They hide, and avoid the questions in Google groups.  They are different from Sprint.  The custom roms released are using Modified Sprint, or Modified older version of the Verizon Galaxy Nexus version.  They don't have to release the radio if there is one.  If there is a radio change then there is your culprit as to why there is a delay.  If they changed the radio then it would have to go through FCC approval, Qualcomm approval(They also have to sign packages), Verizon needs to sign packages(requirement for CDMA), and during any point in testing and signing any of those 3 find something not working it get's sent back to Google.  Google learned after all this time the hardest and longest process is FCC approval(See Sony AOSP Project).  Since then Google backed off carriers and the reason why we have the HAL to go through FCC more quickly.  Average carrier approval time was 1 month while the FCC approval time has exceeded 6 months more than a handful of times(3-4 months on average, but with time from source release and FCC approval it took 6+ months.  With HAL now this process often takes 1/2 that time).

anyway it doesn't matter.  the device is older than 2 years old.  there is no warranty so if people want the newer versions that bad they could put AOSP on.  They could switch carriers, and speak with their money(this does more than what people are doing right now). Hurt their pocketbooks.