Just when you thought that the Galaxy Nexus was being left behind by Google with the Android 4.4 KitKat update, it seems the folks over at XDA Forums have been extremely busy, with reports developers are finding what appear to be updated GPU binaries for the Galaxy Nexus.
Originally when Google announced the KitKat update, the company stated that the Galaxy Nexus would not be supported, given that the company which made the G Nexus device’s processor, Texas Instruments, is no longer supporting the device’s hardware and had taken a leave from the mobile chipset landscape.
Since the updated code for the GPU has been found, it would seem Google may have unintentionally called it quits on the device, or it may not have been aware that there was in-fact further support for the device from Texas Instruments. However, developers are now hard at work creating an updated kernel that could help solve multiple graphical issues that have been found on the device running the newest versions of Android.
If you are a developer for the Galaxy Nexus or maybe still using the device as your daily work horse thanks to the multitude of custom ROM’s available out there, this news might have you jumping for joy that your device may still receive an update, albeit unofficially of course.
However this does beg the question, when do we say goodbye finally to the device which is now in excess of two years old, having being launched back in October 2011? It certainly is something to ponder, however as we do know many people still utilise the Galaxy Nexus on a daily basis.
Do you still own and use a Galaxy Nexus? Would you consider installing a custom Kit Kat ROM from a third party developer? Are you thinking of potentially upgrading your device? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.
I have a gnex and it has served me well for almostr two years.One thing i love about it is it’s replaceable battery. i purposely did not upgrade to nexus 4 as i found it insulting that google launched a supposed upgrade to the gnex featuring an 8gig variant (n4), . In addition to that, the stupid n4 feautured a non-replaceable battery. I was sure to buy an N5 non-replaceable batt not withstanding, as my second phone as google finally put out a nexus with adequate storage space, but now this..google wont be updating the gnex,, and they are using… Read more »
I have a galaxy, and while it is old, it serves me well. Never have problems with it, but I would consider upgrading next year or the year after maybe, as its becoming less and less supported
I still have 3 months left with telstra so i will see what they offer as an upgrade,
still love my gnex running AOKP 4.3.1 & will definitely install 4.4 once it becomes a bit more stable,tried 4.4 slimrom alpha but kept halting halfway through setup.
It’s showing its age now, but I’ve always felt the Galaxy Nexus is one of the greatest devices I’ve ever owned. Period. When it first came out I remember how silky smooth and innovative its UI was. It was the first phone to really make people stand up and notice Android as a genuine platform for the masses. I’ve got a Nexus 5 on order so my days with the Galaxy Nexus are fast coming to an end, but I’ll keep the old battler as a back up phone and something to experiment with. An unofficial build of KitKat sounds… Read more »
I still use my GNex as my daily driver with not much of a reason just yet to upgrade. I rooted to get off the Samsung update path and onto Google which ive been happy with ever since.
I too have roughly 6 months on virgin left, and its been very affordable at $29/mo. Not everyone can afford an outright N5 but it does make sense. Less MNVO choice now makes prepaid a tougher choice.
Might give CM a crack atleast now.
I find it doubtful that Google would be unaware that there are updated binaries for the GPU.
Before I received my Nexus 5 I actually installed an alpha KitKat ROM on my GNex, it had bugs, but my god was it fast… Faster than any other ROM I’d used. The possibilities for an up to date kernel sounds exciting.
GNex has been handmedowned now though.
As soon as Google announced they were no longer supporting the Gnex, I installed the latest CM build. Now very happy and excited to see what the CM team come up with in the future
I’m about to give my old galaxy nexus to my son as his first phone (not getting a new one) and was disappointed that it would not get the update so if third party people can do it I’m all for it
I still have about half a year with my beloved galaxy nexus ahead of me. I never considered installing a custom rom, as I bought the nexus to get updates from google and not be forced to handle updates myself. but seeing this, i might indeed start to tinker with it. We will see what kitkat has in store and if it is worth trusting some third party.
That said i’d really appreciate some opinions and/or experience reports on that matter.
Give it until CM releases their installer on the play store and give it a go. Should be very low barrier to entry and they have fantastic update support. They have an onboard updater that doesn’t require a wipe of your phone.
All in all I’m very happy with the CM experience on my Gnex, hoping for a little longer support as well.
Luke,
I haven’t used custom roms since I retired my HTC Desire. The custom roms for that were never as stable as stock. Does CM come close to stock for stability? I don’t need super customisation, would just like the latest features and stability. I’ll hold off a bit to let things settle.
Mark
On any nexus device the CM stable release should be rock solid. However since CM do take their time to ensure a rock steady OS you may not see a stable CM10.2 release (ie kitkat) on the Gnex for a couple of months. In all honestly you’ll probably get a good bunch of kitkat goodies through the play store anyway. It’s probably worth holding off on doing anything like rom flashing just yet. But if you do eventually want to try CM the barriers to entry a lowering all the time and CM has been fairly proactive in sacrificing customisation… Read more »