Sprint get's 4.3..... Verizon still nothing!

News on the internets today includes the notice from Sprint that their Galaxy Nexus Variant will be getting 4.3 in the next few days. While, its not the 4.4 Kit Kat release that we are all waiting to hear about later today, its still better than the NOTHING that Verizon has released or even talked about.

Still left waiting....


DnT
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Did Verizon's internal clock reset?

So, I've been waiting for 4.3 to roll out for the Verizon Galaxy Nexus.... but not a peep has been heard. No leaks, no test groups, nothing. Which makes me wonder, did the JWR66Y update that rolled out on August 21, 2013 for the GSM Galaxy Nexus restart Verizon's internal "testing" procedures? According to Verizon's response to complaints about customers being unable to activate Nexus 7's with LTE, their testing process takes between 4-6 weeks to complete and certify a device for their network. I'm starting to think that Verizon probably has similar testing for updates and were mid-test when the bug fixes rolled out... and that sent them back to the beginning. If that is the case, and the clock re-started on 8/21, I should re-calibrate my predictions right? Though, Verizon's updates never seem to fall in that 4-6 week window.

So... if Verizon matches their speed with the 4.2.2 update of 19 days to a soak test and 36 days to release, that would've put us at September 9th for the soak test. So, let's assume Verizon goes back to their 50 days to soak test schedule from the 4.1 update. That puts the soak test at around October 10th.  Only time will tell.

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DnT

Start the clock...

Today Google officially announced Android 4.3. They stated that the Galaxy Nexus (along with the Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10) would be getting that update, with updates beginning to get pushed out today. So let the "Verizon delay clock" begin....

Here's the Galaxy Nexus update history for comparison.  The 4.2.2 update came fairly quickly in only 36 days (by Verizon standards).  Based on that timeline, I'm hoping for an August 12th "soak test" followed shortly thereafter by a leaked version...and then an official OTA around August 29th.  Only time will tell.




4.0.4: ICS update
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4.0.4 was pushed by google (GSM) around March 30th.
4.0.4 was soak tested by Verizon on May 1st.
4.0.4 was pushed by Verizon around May 31-June 1

So, right on 60 days to 4.0.4


4.1: Jellybean
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Google began updating their GSM Nexus to Jelly Bean (4.1) on July 10th.
Verizon's soak test started on August 29, 2012.
An early leak was posted online in the first week of September. (I installed on 9/5)
The full update was rolled out 9/21

So about 73 days to Jelly Bean 4.1.


4.2: JB update
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The 4.2 update began rolling out on November 13, 2012 to the Domestic GSM variant "takju". 
4.2.1 was pushed out with a bug fix on November 27, 2012.
The Sprint CDMA variant started updating on January 30th, 2013
Verizon NEVER saw 4.2 or 4.2.1


4.2.2: JB update
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4.2.2 was released on February 11, 2012
4.2.2 hits Verizon testers on March 2, 2013 (only 19 days! That has to be a record)
On March 4, 2013 a leaked version was posted online. (I installed it on 3/5)
4.2.2 begins hitting Verizon Galaxy Nexus phones OTA on March 19th, 2013 (36 days - a Verizon record I'm sure!)

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DnT

Apple Plays Catch-up (Part II)

Just finished catching up on Apple's WWDC this afternoon. Just a few comments on the new iOS 7. Apple finally seems to have caught up to the other mobile OS platforms out there in a few regards:

1. True multi-tasking - in theory, we'll see how real it is. Everyone else has been doing it, now Apple's in the club. Welcome aboard.

2. Control center - I know this has been a much talked about feature on a lot of tech blogs, and Apple finally gave iOS users easy access to their settings. Welcome, again.

3. Fragmentation - yeah, they are catching up here too.  Tim Cook took some shots at Android fragmentation early on with comments like...

"93 percent of iOS users are on iOS 6. "That's in stark contrast to the world of Android." 

and

"More than a third of Android users are using an operating system that was released in 2010"

Well. Then he went on later to note that iOS 7 will only be supported on iPhone 4S and up, and iPad 2 and up.  I guess this fall Apple will have to stop talking about fragmentation.

I didn't really see anything else that struck me as new or interesting. Seemed that AirDrop was the big thing for them aside from the redesign of icons and apps. I'm not even sure what it is, some kind of file sharing feature. As expected Apple finally did away with the skeumorphism that everyone on iOS seemed hung up on. 


-DnT
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Only 4 months to catch up...

OK, so to be fair, Verizon caught up and jumped back to the front line where we should be. However, that doesn't make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside about Verizon's ridiculous update delays. Verizon's Galaxy Nexus never saw the 4.2 update that its GSM cousins received back in November/December and chugged along on 4.1 for almost 4 months. 4.2.2 rolled out on February 11th putting us even further behind (3 updates, though 4.2.1 was just a bug fix). I was shocked to see the 4.2.2 "soak test" start to roll out after only 19 days, and I had the leak installed on March 5th. One can only hope the general roll out isn't too far behind.

If you are running stock 4.1.1 build JRO030 you can update to 4.2.2 now using either clockworkrecovery (if you are rooted) or using ADB (if you are unrooted). Directions can be found on Droid-Life and the update can be downloaded HERE. Note that this is an UPDATE not a full 4.2.2 build so you have to be running stock 4.1.1 to install it.


Based on the ICS and JB leak timelines, barring any issues with 4.2.2 I would expect the general rollout to commence somewhere between March 25th and April 1st. 


-DnT
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Just for future reference, I often find myself revisiting this timeline to try to figure out when Verizon's update for my Galaxy Nexus will occur.

4.0.4: ICS update
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4.0.4 was pushed by google (GSM) around March 30th.
4.0.4 was soak tested by Verizon on May 1st.
4.0.4 was pushed by Verizon around May 31-June 1

So, right on 60 days to 4.0.4


4.1: Jellybean
------------------------
Google began updating their GSM Nexus to Jelly Bean (4.1) on July 10th.
Verizon's soak test started on August 29, 2012.
An early leak was posted online in the first week of September. (I installed on 9/5)
The full update was rolled out 9/21

So about 73 days to Jelly Bean 4.1.


4.2: JB update
------------------------
The 4.2 update began rolling out on November 13, 2012 to the Domestic GSM variant "takju". 
4.2.1 was pushed out with a bug fix on November 27, 2012.
The Sprint CDMA variant started updating on January 30th, 2013
Verizon NEVER saw 4.2 or 4.2.1


4.2.2: JB update
------------------------
4.2.2 was released on February 11, 2012
4.2.2 hits Verizon testers on March 2, 2013 (only 19 days! That has to be a record)
On March 4, 2013 a leaked version was posted online. (I installed it on 3/5)
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Happy Anniversary Samsung Galaxy Nexus!

Saturday was the 1 yr anniversary of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Verizon's first (and hopefully not last) Nexus phone. 

In other news, its been a year (yeah, I picked mine up on the 16th) with my Galaxy Nexus and I don't regret it at all.  Sure I have some complaints, but it is by far the best phone I've ever had and will be with me for at least another year!

My complaints....
1. Battery life requires a lot of tweaking. but I'm OK with that. I just wish that Google did a better job out of the box maximizing battery life. In particular, I wish that maps/location would stop hogging so much CPU time and battery life.

2. Its a little slippery on the sides, I wish it had a little texture there.

3. I wish Verizon would speed up their update release schedule.

-DNT
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ACT NOW: DON'T LET COPYRIGHT HOLDERS STEAL OUR PROPERTY RIGHTS!

Visit www.youvebeenowned.org

[I'm sure DemandProgress.org won't complain about me cutting and pasting their content - I don't think they'll file a copyright claim on this! Please pay attention as Hollywood, The RIAA, Publishing companies, and manufacturers push to strip us of our right to sell what is ours.]

Next week, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether you have the right to sell your stuff on eBay. Do you really own the smartphone or computer you’re using to read this? If you sold your books, would you be breaking the law? A federal court in New York says you would be, even if you legally paid for and bought them.

It's unbelievable, but trademark and copyright holders are trying to use a legal loophole to take away your right to sell things that you own. The mainstream media is starting to catch on, with the Wall Street Journal just running an article headlined, "YOUR RIGHT TO RESELL YOUR OWN STUFF IS IN PERIL". Please add your name at right to fight back.

Public interest advocates are taking the case all the way to the Supreme Court, and Demand Progress is joining up with a coalition of groups -- including many of those that came together to kill SOPA -- to support the rights of ordinary Internet users and everyday consumers.

Once again, big entertainment company lobbyists are fighting us in the courts to ensure their profits are given higher priority than consumer rights. But this time the MPAA and RIAA have the Obama administration on their side --they've all filed legal briefs asking the Supreme Court to restrict our right to resell the things we own..

We only have a few weeks to make our voices heard before the Supreme Court makes a lasting ruling. We are working to defend a long-standing principle known as the "First-Sale Doctrine." This common-sense rule gives us the right to sell most property we own, but big businesses have been trying to chip away at out our rights in the courts. If the Supreme Court supports the lower court’s decision, we won't really “own” anything if any part of it was made in a different country. And practically anything you own -- from your iPod to your house -- could have been made abroad, in whole or in part.

If we lose this fight, practically anybody who wants to resell products they bought -- from Macbooks and iPhones to our clothing and textbooks -- will have to ask copyright holders for permission first. And they'll have the right to deny it!

It's bad for so many reasons: It'll undermine Craigslist and Ebay, hurt the environment, increase incentives for manufacturers to move jobs off-shore, and effectively ban the traditional American yard sale. For more info, please check out Marvin Ammori's article about the lawsuit.