Galaxy Nexus: To return or roll the dice on an update? The issues had by many, the Q's we all have.

[BobbyDigi]

Hey all,

I'm in a bit of a pickle and was curious what other nexus owners would have to offer. First of all, Im not just trolling the boards, Ive been doing a lot of extensive research on these problems and have found that Im not the only one experiencing them and, at least until this fabled 4.0.3 update comes along, there is no real "fix" except perhaps to swap out the phone and hope it doesnt act the same way, or continue going around with a phone you paid 5 bills for, knowing that it works worse than your treo 750 of yore. So let me explain the deal...

I got the GNex on the 15th, one of the first in line. I love the phone (screen quality, ICS, camera, etc) but have since had a fair number of issues. The battery problem, well, its a 4G phone with a huge display so I can live with the fact that I have 2 batteries for it and one extended. Im not complaining about it being a juice hog (it is), I can live with that. Furthermore, theres a lot of speculation that the juice problem is a correlation of the 4G "lock on signal issue" that myself and many others are having, and that if verizon/google does release this next update, it should eliviate both issues. The main issue with my signal is the fact that I cant lock on to a good 4G or 3G signal. After turning on the screen, the phone searches for 4G, eventually aquires a signal but will also eventually lose it and be in "data limbo" where its unable to get to a stable 3G signal and hovers below 1X, being effectively useless for a phone or mobile data device. The area I live in has fine 4G and even better 3G, yet when I've tried to set the phone to 3G as the preffered network, it has an even tougher time aquiring a 3G signal than it does a 4G one. It just seems to always be looking for 4G, which is a possible reason for the battery woes myself and a great deal of us are going through. Im upset that Verizon did acknowlege there was an issue with the phones signal and that it would be addressed via update, but then 2 days later, pulled a 360 and said that "there is no performance issues with the phone whatsover and the update 4.0.3 will address a problem with the signal reading of the phone". This is upsetting. I was in my local verizon store, where, god bless em, they didnt even know how to look up the signal strength on the phone, let alone how to interpret the numbers. I showed the "tech support" woman my signal strength of -75dbm in contrast to a driod razors of 55db, and she immedietly said "Oh, see! You have a stronger signal. Thats good." I then told her that 75 is a horrible signal compared to 55 and she managed to wipe the egg of her face, looking fine in her verizon skirt but not knowing anything when it comes to the questions I had at hand.

Recently my phone has been having the random reboots that a great deal of us have had aswell. Once while driving and listening to music via bluetooth and last night after shutting the phone down, it immedietly rebooted. (Google nexus auto reboot and youll see what im talking about). Its happened a few more times than this, but these times are the ones I remember exactly what I was doing with it, and, lets face it, 1 reboot for a new GNex is one too many; this phone is too hardcore and beefy to suffer from reboots. My phone is not rooted and I have minimal apps installed from my HTC incredible, most of which are news reading apps like CNN or google currents, which arent running in the background and only use data when I open the app. I havent even been executing any apps with regular frequency except google music which I use on the regular. Im about to do another hard reset and install no apps at all and see how it fairs. The signal issue is one thing, and I am hopeful that it will be addressed in this next update, but the fact that I dont have a lot of apps (especially any that I would see causing a hardware conflict needing a reboot) and Im still getting this occasional reboot, is troubling, to say the least. Again: I absolutely love this phone. Im a gadget freak, have had many a smartphone and I really like the formfacter, OS and screensize/density of this device. Its also my first nexus device, which I've waited for since the nexus one came out on Tmobile and I was still loyal to big red. I like the nexus line because its to be the hackers phone, a phone for developers, freakers, pirates, what have you. Ive always loved that idea, as I wear a few of those hats but...my confidence is sorely shaken.

I have until the 15th to take the phone back and am toying with the idea of swapping out one for a "newer" one, as Ive read that people with compaints similar to mine have done so and had great success with their "newer" replacement phones, but theres also the possibility that this is just a problem with the GNex as a whole, or a large batch of em so that I could switch out again and again and I'll always get one with a defect of some kind, that wont be able to be fixed with an update, and I'll be stuck with my super expensive, super awesome phone that works poorer than a cheap prepaid moto flip phone.

Im wondering if anyone else is having these issues and how they plan about going about it. In my mind, if I swap out this phone and am stuck with another "lemon"(if thats even the problem, a QC issue) then Im stuck with that one indefenetly. I talked to the verizon rep in the store and asked that if I wanted to bring it back for a refund, to wait until the bugs are officially sorted out, would I have to pay the restock fee? The answer was an absolute and cold "yes". Im cool with restock fees, but not if the device I bought has any many issues as this phone I have, and many of you out there as well. Im very torn. I've had a taste of ICS and dont wanna go back to anything else. Its possible to wait till ICS comes to the Droid Razer, which had a nice screen, better battery life and a signal stronger by 20dbm then the GNex. Also, I havent seen nearly as many problems with reboots, forceclosing and droped signals as with the GNex. But still...I just want the GNex to be "the one".

Anyone have any experience swapping out their phones for "newer ones"? The woman at verizon did a hard reset and noted it in my account but would not yet do a sim card swap or reactivation, as (Im guessing) she just wants to take away as much time from me as possible before the 15th comes. A hard reset does nothing. I still get the reboots and signal issues with a clean slate. Do we think, for sure that the issues myself and a lot of you are in fact software related, eble to be fixed via updates? Or is it still possible that this device is mechanically flawed? And that if we stick with out GNex's, even though we love how they feel in our hands, the screen, the OS, the google branding, that we will be stuck with something of inferior performance/stability? I know my question is kinda broad and not too specific. Im asking a lot, from any direction, any input from someone not wearing a verizon badge will help. The clock is ticking. I love this phone, I just want it or the replacement I get to work and be stable and it scares me, pinning my hopes on a replacement device or an update that has yet to surface, whose original purpose was to "fix signal issues with regards to the GNex" but now, it seems, is meerly out there to "better visualize an accurate signal strength" of a device that supposedly "doesnt suffer from any perfomance issues at all". Im guessing big red has never had their brand new top of the line GNex reboot on them while shutting down or simply doing its job: to serve as a mobile device.

Thanks for any and all input on what to do. Its like asking a buddy if the girl your seeing is right for you. All I want is some honest input as I am head over heels, less the fact that she doesnt work all the time and is so unstable she needs meds of some kind.

Cheers.

[ocorral]

You posted 100% exactly how i feel right now. I have no clue what to do. I dont mind going back to my Drioid Incredible and waiting this out. As long as Verizon lets me keep my two year extension. Ugh... this sucks so much

[jd12]

Well i don't have this phone but i do have the BlackBerry 9930. I have been reading on the forums and it seems to me just about all of Verizons 4G phones are having issues. I looked at the Motorola razor yesterday and if it had a way to change the battery i think i would have gotten it. Now your issues seems to be on all of the 4G phones and that sucks. I have not had any issues with my 9930 thank God. I am sorry i can't help you but these forums are all full of issues with all makes of Verizon 4G phones.

[pool_shark]

With all of the functions smartphones have I don't expect good battery life. Luckily for me I work with computers and can charge as needed. I have had a few reboots. It only occurs when typing a url or selecting a contact in gmail, but it doesn't happen often. I am not having the wifi reboot problem, no signal problems, and no usb transfer problems. I have submitted bug reports to google about the browser problems.

[21stNow]

Based on my past experience with the Nexus S, I would say that Google does try to fix problems with the phones.  The question is, do you want to wait that long?  The Nexus S had a reboot problem during phone calls.  If I'm not mistaken, the update to fix that problem took at least three months.  I know that it was more than two months, because I didn't experience the problem until I had had the phone for two months, and the update came a while after that.

Only you know what you are willing to put up with, and what issues are absolute deal breakers for you.  If I told you that your phone wouldn't be updated and working well until March 2012, would you want to keep your Galaxy Nexus?

[BobbyDigi]

Wow, well thanks for your replies guys. Thanks for not bashing me or anything like that. Its a very tough predicament a lot of us seem to be in. I have a problem with hyping myself up for things. I will never forgive George Lucas for the last Indiana Jones movie, but this device, its so much more personal. Our phones are all extensions of us and the fact that I and others have been salivating for this phone for quite some time, only to run into a bevy of issues, well...it doesnt make it any easier, as I still wanna believe in this phone. I still want it to be my daily driver. Im just glad Im not the only one stuck between a rock and a hard place. I had a pretty unflatering day with it today, with a couple of data conection issues, then went back to 3G mode have still had terrible servie (in a well lit 3G area) as well as battery woes. Im gonna go to verizon this upcoming week but its really hard trying to formulate a game plan. If I exchange it than I feel as though I've made my bed with this phone, for the next two years, but if I return it, Im still going to have to pay 15% of the $500 I forked out for it, to have only rented a lackluster nexus for 2 weeks. This...is not right. I stil dont have an answer, but im glad there are others like me. I still do like it, its like your mother meeting a chick and saying "shes not right for you" but you still find yourself talking through her logic and reasoning, hoping your still togather in the coming months.

I was wondering, Ive been thinking about the warrenty procedure with verizon and the nexus. I do have the full insurence but am not sure if I make a claim, weather or not they will send me a refurbished or used device (I dont want that). If I wait and dont exchenge or return it, or even if I do exchange it and still run into problems, will the warenty cover me if a hardware flaw is discovered on these earlier batches of nexus'? Im not new to being a first adopter to technology and Im not a fan of the whole iphone fad, but I did wait outside ATT for the first gen iphone and was much more happier with that thing than this. I didnt have a quarter of the problems of dissatisfication as this thing. The word "bugs" is completely understated when talking about my experience thus far. Just wanna make sure Im covered. I dont know how much big red really has our backs and Im not fabricating the problems I and others have faced. I think we all deserve a pat on the back for being so paitent and willing to continue to give our GNex's more chances. I trust google too, or, at least I want to. I really hope I make the right decision and it all works out. I was reading another review today which said a scary reality that I cant stop thinking about. In a few months we're sure to see a bevy or 4.0 devices and when that comes, the GNex may lose its one redeaming attribute. If it still has these types of problems (Signal issues, reboots, stabilty, batt power, etc) then we are stuck with what is basically an outdated lemon for the next two years. A lemon that was supposed to be king of the hill for some time, and which we all paied way, way too much for. Im sad I missed out on the Nexus one and even sader about the Nexus S. I know the S has had similar issues when it first came out, I just am scared going day to day, hoping a fix arises.They were eventually fixed (for the most part). Hoping so with this device...its just a terrible feeling as Im unhappy yet want it to work, desperatly.

And 21stNow: I like your question of weather or not I'd be willing to put up with this stuff until March 2012...I can answer right now, unequivocally yes. I love the phone (or atleast I want to love it that much). But Im very scared in the possibility of there being a major hardware issue or them just never correctly addressing the issues, leaving us GNex users out on the learch. Ive seen it with other pieces of tech. The fact that big red admitted there was an issue then turning around and saying that theres nothing wrong with the phone is a slap to myself and every one else whose had signal problems, reboot issues, etc. Furthermore, the fact that I got a phone that doesnt work as well as others who rave about not having one of these issues is disturbing. So I and others just got bad luck, with a bad batch? I find that hard to believe. We paid just as much, if not more (I had to get the accessory pack with my store when I bought it so that jacked up the price considerably) and should not be the black sheep of the gang, while others run free without issues or worries about their beloved device.Why cant either all the GNex's either work 100% or not? Its terrible, hearing both sides of the experience. This is what keeps me up at night while the clock nears the 15th. But at least I still have a horse in the race as I have yet to take it back indefentely. 

We are not alone in our feelings and troubles.

[tattooedchick]

After reading all these problems people are having with this phone.  I think I'll hold off on getting one.  I had a Samsung Galaxy SII from AT&T, unfortunately because of the coverage in my home area, I had to return the phone.  I loved that phone, it worked great, never had an issue with it.  I just can't understand why android phones run so much smoother on AT&T's network over Verizon's.  I've even heard the unlocked CDMA version of the Galaxy Nexus doesn't drain the battery nearly as fast as Verizons model does. 

[21stNow]

I don't think that there is an unlocked CDMA version of the Galaxy Nexus.  The unlocked version of the Galaxy Nexus is GSM, and I don't have battery drainage problems with it.  The LTE radio in the VZW version will cause the battery to deplete faster when in use.

[Tidbits]

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21stNow wrote:

I don't think that there is an unlocked CDMA version of the Galaxy Nexus.  The unlocked version of the Galaxy Nexus is GSM, and I don't have battery drainage problems with it.  The LTE radio in the VZW version will cause the battery to deplete faster when in use.

---

There's actually mixed results for both versions.  While I get good battery life between(2 hours difference) my coworker on the other hand gets good battery life on his LTE version that is better than my GSM version.  I seen some people living in poor coverage areas getting nearly 26 hours on a stock battery with an LTE version which blows both my versions out of the water(His screen is on 7 hours and he is using LTE).  He doesn't use anything to try and extend his battery, and I consider this guy a moderate/heavy user.

[BobbyDigi]

"26 hours on a stock battery with an LTE version" and having the screen on for 7 hours? I cant even fathom how this is possible. My best day was 8 hours with the screen on for 3, and that was in 3G mode, to save battery juice?! Earlier today I booted up from 99% and went to 83% in 22 mins, just browsing through settings, checking mail and looking at a few pics (4g, everything else off, auto brightness on). Its so frustrating, these tales of people with no problems and content users. This device is defenetly a gamble. Its like a lottery happend in which many users would get the crappy, lackluster, error pluaged phones and a choice few would actually get a GNex that works, the way it was supposed to work from the git-go. Does your friend wanna sell his GNex? lol. 

[jrh4054]

Instead of continuing to write these books, why don't you just call Big Red and find out what's going on with the Nexus and when they expect to have it fixed.  If I were in this situation and paid $300 for the phone, I'd dump it and get one that works. 

[Tidbits]

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jrh4054 wrote:

Instead of continuing to write these books, why don't you just call Big Red and find out what's going on with the Nexus and when they expect to have it fixed.  If I were in this situation and paid $300 for the phone, I'd dump it and get one that works. 

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few things...

1.  Updates come from Google... No if ands or buts.  Verizon wouldn't have a clue on what Google is doing.

2.  4.0.3 which Google is working on is supposed to fix some bugs, and other things.

3.  Not every device is going to work 100% no matter which device you buy.  

4.  Software deadlines are the WORST thing you can do.  If you want something done right the first time then you will have to wait. You will never get something other than "soon"  You won't know what will happen throughout all phases of programming.

So ultimately...  Big Red isn't going to have a clue.  You need to bring it up with Google when it comes to their Nexus Line.  If you don't like the answer or non-answer from Google then yes it might be best to dump it and get something else.

[christloj]

I got the Galaxy Nexus the day it came out as well and am having the same data issue problems. I called Verizon and they did the normal walk through, (reboot, hard reset, battery pull) and nothing changed. My main issue is that when I am on a call, the signal completely goes away, No 4glte or 3g which means I can not surf the net while on the phone. Which is the purpose of having 4gLTE. I was able to take my phone back and get a brand new Galaxy. Still have the same issues. I really think its the network and not the phone. Considering going to...dare I say it...the Iphone.

[leverlock]

Did they charge you a restock fee? I returned mine as I described in another topic and was charged the fee even though it was very clear that the phone had these issues.

[droidsw]

Bobbydigi, up you just summed up the Android experience for many. Those of us with bad experiences feel like we've been left out in the rain, while others say their experiences have been outstanding.

[tattooedchick]

I just returned a Rezound because I couldn't get thru a whole day of work with it. I mean an 8 hour shift. I would keep it off and turn it on at break time only. It was fully charged before work. I turned it on for a total of 50 minutes during work to check email and browse the web. When I left work, the battery was half dead. That's just too fast for a battery to drain in my opinion.

[Tidbits]

I will show you a screenshot of my Nexus when I get home.  Currently right now I have 10 hours 18 minutes with 45% battery left on a extended battery.  LTE on, Wifi on, GPS on.  I won't be home for about another hour or so depending if I feeling eating out and bringing food home.

[Tidbits]

There you have it. I just used my phone.

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Tidbits wrote:

I will show you a screenshot of my Nexus when I get home.  Currently right now I have 10 hours 18 minutes with 45% battery left on a extended battery.  LTE on, Wifi on, GPS on.  I won't be home for about another hour or so depending if I feeling eating out and bringing food home.

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[BobbyDigi]

Tidbits, Im not doubting you get excellent battery life, and I am truly envious. Just as I am of those who dont have any of the radio problems or reboots. My extended arrives today and I cant wait to see it not work as I had hoped for as well. From 1850mA to 2100 is only about a 15% increase so Im not holding my breath.

 I'll see how I fare with the extended batt and look to be exchanging the phone for another GNex, as the service rep was nice enough to grant me a restock credit, so I wont have to pay even more money when I go to swap out this faulty POS. SWeettt!!! Its quite confusing and depressing, hearing the stories of people who get fine battery life and have no problems with signal issues and what not. It could be many things here, whats going on. A bad batch of phones that went out, worse or faulty coverege in differing areas, an act of god, poor luck, I dont really know. I still agree, like many, that if you live in an area with poor 4G (mines not the best but not the worst) your gonna have the signal issues/switching problems from 4 to 3G (I do) which will then result in horrible battery life, because the phone is always searching for that 4G signal, trying to lock on (got this too). But really Im groing sick of having Nexus envy, as, I do own one. It just works much worse than a lot of peoples, but at least I know im not the only one. Furthermore, the fact that I've even tried to downgrade to 3g only with the Nexus, yet get much worse of a signal than my old phones, and still have problems "locking on" tells that there is something wrong with the radio, among other things. If the next one doesnt work as well I will be returning it and going back to my old rooted Incredible and will try and wait for the D4, even though Im not a big fan of the moto designs with their jay leno chins. The fact that people have also answered that the key to this phone is rooting it, is not a warm vote of confidence either. I didnt root my incredible because I needed performance boosts from the antenna or battery. I was sick of bloatware and wanted to be able to truly pimp my phone. We shouldnt nessisarily have to rely on our own community of deveopers and hackers to provide software updates and fixes for issues that clearly should have been addressed way before the launch. If I root the phone, my warrenty is out the door and, I know its a long shot theyd ever be able to prove it, but Im not willing to gamble on the warrenty coverage yet of suck a finicy, fragile device that already is not without issues. In short, the GNex is like that girl I wish I never met. I still cant get her outta my head and she was totally wrong for me, in every way. Messed with my head. Broke my heart. And I still cant get her outta there. I wish I never met either one of them.

[Cody21]

This is so De Ja Vu of the DROID X experieince. Poor battery life, Reboots, volume issues, bugs - waiting on a badly needed (and PROMISED) s/w update.  We've been waiting since JUNE 2011 for an update to fix all the GingerBread issues ...  Good luck !!

[Tidbits]

People with poor battery life...  Can you guys try something for me?

It will require a factory reset and a few battery pulls...

make sure you TURN OFF Google backup

Drain the battery until it dies.

Take out the battery and put it back in.(How much did the % go up?)

repeat the step(Did the % go back up like the first time, or does the phone not turn on?)

repeat the steps until it'll start up but die without getting past the loading screne.

now recharge the battery until 100% with the device off.

when it reaches 100%

hold volume up volume down, and power until you get into the bootloader.

toggle through the menus and go to recovery mode.

hold volume up down and power(may take a few tries) a menu should appear

do a factory reset.

restart device.

Apps Hanging with friends and words with friends are poorly coded that their notification systems drain a lot of battery. I had those two and removed them and gained an hour lol.