There has been an app making the news rounds lately that checks your Galaxy Nexus to see if it’s the Yakju codenamed device that is updated directly by Google. The app is called GN Official Update Checker (market) and we asked our followers on Twitter who purchased their Galaxy Nexus from one of the three main carriers to try the app and tell us what it said. They all responded the same: codename Yakjudv not updated by Google.

So who will be updating their phones then? The application developer says the updates *should* be pushed out by Samsung or by the actual carrier themselves — my initial thought is that it would be Samsung because I doubt our carriers could bring themselves to actually update the devices they sell themselves, so I emailed Vodafone, Optus & Telstra and asked where would the updates for the Galaxy Nexus be coming from.

Optus

For major updates, Optus always conducts testing before giving approval to manufacturers to release the updates to Optus customers.

So if Optus are behind in updating the Galaxy Nexus, you’ll know squarely who to blame. If it’s updated before the rest, you’ll know who to thank.

Vodafone

Regarding the updates for the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S and Nexus One they are tested by us to ensure that the device works properly on our network. It’s a process that is adopted on all devices and by all networks, both here and abroad. Once approved it’s then scheduled and pushed by Google (in this case), or by the device manufacturers like Samsung, HTC, Sony Ericsson etc.

Vodafone are saying that the updates will be coming from Google, only after Vodafone has tested the update on its network. Once again, you know who to blame or thank when your update arrives.

Telstra

No response yet from the nation’s biggest telco.

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Ant

Im selling my Nexus which is currently with telstra and can be unlocked for sale around $550
 
🙂 i wish it was smaller..
[email protected]

Camille

Virgin mobile Australia also offers the Samsung Galaxy Nexus on Plans
http://www.virginmobile.com.au/samsung-galaxy-nexus

Phil31753

With a Thai SIM in my Nexus I was offered the Android 4 update last month.  I declined because it is 160 mbytes and my connection was slow.  Next trip I will update for sure. Was also offered and accepted a system update in Hong Kong two or three months ago.

Glad I live in a “developed” country.

David Shanahan

So now you can’t be guaranteed timely Android updates even if you buy a Nexus handset? Now the Nexus user is little if any better off than the owners of other Android phones when it comes to important security updates. Timely updates direct from Google without interference and delays from the manufacturers and telcos was the biggest selling point for the Nexus line, now it’s gone.

This is a significant step backwards for Android given the total lack of progress on Google’s much ballyhooed plan to streamline the distribution of Android updates announced months ago.

Robert D

Optus currently out of stock via their online website –  anyone know when they will have stock?

Sirius_xl17

Anyone can post an image of yakjudv please. I want to go back to yakjudv to make sure that yakju didn’t cause my clicking/popping speaker noise.

Please see google android thread:
http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=22307

Vtr1000xe

does a nandroid backup help you?

Vtr1000xe

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Z71D9FDK

CWM Dump of Galaxy Nexus (Telstra GSM)
Not mine I’m trying to find a reference. I searched history as i knew it was a megaupload.com file but from where? lol

Vtr1000xe

also can we pease confirm if ICS only shows H instead of H+ in notifications area?

vtr1000xe

confirmed

Vtr1000xe

OK so I have flashed over to official 4.0.2 and have used the radio-maguro-i9250tdvkk6 which appears to be the NextG radio. Can someone with a stock Telstra GN please confirm;

Baseband Version? (Setting>About Phone>Baseband Version)

Your APN details please? Both Internet and MMS please.

I will test to make sure all is good and post the steps required to flash the official rom. Will leave us with Official 4.0.2 updated by google with correct Baseband and APN details.

AlexGerontzos

Just want to clarify this not all gn units are next g compatible? But we can flash a radio to make it so? Is this correct? If so I will just buy the cheapest nexus on eBay and jump telestra as It would be cheaper this way.

Buzz Moody

All Galaxy Nexii (besides the Verizon branded) are NextG compat.

Daniel

how do we work out who updates our device if not google mine says yakjuzs

Sirius_xl17

I fastboot flashed the factory official rom from google site. Doesn’t have Australian English. Is there any downside to flashing the official vanilla rom vs rom tailored to Australia?

Buzz Moody

Number of downsides: no Australian English (there’s no discernible difference)

Number of upsides: ∞ (updates from Google)

Matt Booth

Get Morelocale2 from the market, add EN AU for Australian localisation

jivemaster

Always get the USA / UK version. It’s where it’s at.

Buzz Moody

The Verizon model is being updated by Verizon.

Exsonage

Oh that’s nice, flashed the Yakju image a day after I got my Telstra GN upon release, still no update from 4.0.1 but my Nexus S is running 4.0.3. think it’s a load of crap when Apple can push an update worldwide with no problems, selling my GN cheap and getting an iPhone, this put me off the Nexus name for good

Buzz Moody

*shifty eyes* how cheap?

Exsonage

I Dunno 500? Lol

Nytrojen

Sold!

Sirius_xl17

What region do you set the USB driver installation as when flashing to yakju? Australia isn’t on the list. Which other region is closest compatibility?

Liammcjannett

Hold up a second guys. If the newest google software isn’t compatible with your Telco’s then why would you want google to have control over it? If google pushes out the newest version and its not tested then your phone will stop working once updated. No calls, no txt, no data. I hardly see how that’s a plus to anyone’s situation. Google update software to benefit google. Not telcos. If your software don’t work then your Shit outta luck there. Every networks software is different hence why some phones cannot be released to certain telcos simply because it won’t work,… Read more »

Hikari0307

Though I have yet to see any phones (I know a lot of people who brought their phone over from overseas) not working with any of the telcos here because of software incompatibilities. There’s a standard for this things right. How about those phones bought outright with no telcos involved where they received updates from manufacturers, should those be changed to work with specific telcos in order for it to work? I don’t think it’s that big of a problem. How about apple pushing updates directly  to all iphones. Though you have a point that Google should work together with… Read more »

Jason Murray

While I see your point, I would consider it unlikely that Google would send out an update that’d kill off basic functionality given that these things work in a standard way across networks. That kind of an update probably wouldn’t benefit anyone, including Google.

I’ve had a Nexus One and a Nexus S all updated by Google and nothing ever broke (well, there was the Portable Hotspot stuff with the Nexus S but that never specifically affected me).

Michael Gaedcke

Woah! Not happy. Got mine from Mobicity and app says NOT updated by Google!!! WTF!!!!!
Any suggestions? Will be contacting them to complain and ask for replacement.

Tommy B

No worries broseph, here’s how to convert to yakju, I did this as soon as I got my phone. I literally never even booted to the UI, just booted to download mode and flashed it when I took mine out of the box (my friend bought from the same vendor and knew it wasn’t yakju): 
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=20302409&postcount=2

Edit: Oh yeah, doesn’t require bootloader unlock because it’s flashed through ODIN. 🙂

Jason Murray

Thanks Tommy – this answers my next question (ie, how the hell do I get off the carrier-cleared update train). 🙂

I’ve been using my phone for a week and a bit now though … and I’ve got things set up how I want them. Is there a way to back up my configuration (apps, homescreens, settings, etc) and re-apply them after I flash back to yakju?

Jason Murray

Did you get yours recently from Mobicity? I suspect they sold all their imports and are now selling local stock since the price dropped significantly.

Galahad

Ok, just checked with the app, updated by Google, great, so why still 4.0.1??

Galahad

I bought mine with no carrier involved, i have a Telstra sim, it should have updated as soon as i hit WIFI! FFS!

Hany Khoury

That is terrible news, ruins one of the main reasons one would buy a Google phone.

I am keeping my GSII. With such great roms and kernels available for it, it’s too good a value to change to the Nexus any time soon.

Matt Booth

Unlock bootloader, flash to any build your want. If you’re not comfortable doing this then why do you have a Nexus?

Hany Khoury

But I don’t have a Nexus? I am merely saying it is disappointing the carriers have control of the updates for a Google phone. This wasn’t the case for the Nexus S was it?

I am comfortable flashing builds but the general public coming from the iPhone market and expecting updates as soon as Google/Samsung release them will be disheartened by this move.

Jason Murray

That’s a bit unfair – I have a Nexus so I can be sure I receive updates from Google and run the latest version of software. This has nothing to do with unlocking a bootloader.

Daniel Sweatman

Same boat as you buzz, twitted this to Dan last Saturday when I got mine. Does anyone have confirmation that root + stock rom change this?

Tommy B
Paul Boonyarungsrit

Mine is from Vodafone down here. IT’s yakjudv, i.e. NOT updated by Google. Crap! Time to look for instructions to flash my ICS.

Paul Boonyarungsrit

Thanks, Tommy. Did you get 4.0.2 OTA update after loading yakju firmware?

N4sa83

Decided to root and go custom rom. It will be weeks if not months before 4.0.2 is pushed out by Telstra, let alone 4.0.3.

SteelBytes

mine from mobicity says ‘UPDATED by Google’.  I wonder when we’ll get 4.0.3.  Saw some post saying there was a 4.0.2 released for GSM, but never got it.  We do know that 4.0.3 has had it’s deployment paused/delayed.

Andrew Singh

This to me defeats the whole point of Google sending direct updates, the telco’s shouldn’t get a say!