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Boxes Of Galaxy Nexi Arriving At Verizon And RadioShack Stores – One Reader Almost Goes Home With One

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I really hate doing this to you guys but please — I’m just passing along the info. Apparently, Verizon Wireless and RadioShack stores have been receiving boxes ‘o Galaxy Nexi and are being instructed to “hold off” on selling them until they receive word from their higher uppers. According to a leaked internal email from RadioShack, seems that almost nobody has absolutely any idea when the device will go on sale and are just sitting on the merchandise for now.

Now, I don’t really like when I read articles saying the Galaxy Nexus has been “delayed” given the fact that Verizon never committed to a specific date. However, in the light of all the information flooding our inboxes, this just doesn’t seem typical for a phone launch. Seems something went wrong. Whether it was a buggy device, delayed launch to help RAZR sales — who knows and conspiracy theories are running rampant. Just keep in mind that the info I’m giving to you shouldn’t make you upset — it should bring hope! Technically, the Galaxy Nexus is already here and in stores. All we have to do now is twiddle our thumbs and wait. Like Christmas (if Christmas had no date).

In more “fun” news, we received an email today from a reader named Jesse, who strolled into his local Verizon Wireless store and almost made out with the Galaxy Nexus. After asking for the phone, a clueless rep said they had ’em in stock and went to the back room to grab it. She came out with the box in hand, opened it and let him play around with it. After a few moments she asked him what he thought of the phone. He said he would like to take it home and watched in shock as she proceeded to ring him up. After popping in the SIM card, the rep stopped mid-scan — thought for a moment — then said, “I need to make sure I can sell this.” Our reader’s heart sank as she called her supervisor who asked if she had seen “the email.” When the phone call had ended, she apologized and told our would-be Nexus owner that the phone wasn’t yet for sale. He could only watch as the Nexus faded away into the dark confines of Verizon’s backroom. So close, Jesse!

Thanks, 3vil!

[AndroidForums | DroidGuy]

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

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110 Comments

  1. DOH!?!

  2. tomorrow’s coverage: Mass Break-Ins at Verizon and Radioshack stores across the nation.

    1. The smug look on the sales rep’s face tonight…. I wanted to give him the pimp hand.

    2. Have had stock for a couple of days now. Played with the launch kit today, phone is AWESOME, I am so glad it is not bigger than my RAZR. It is more comfortable to hold and use. Love the blue-ish theme all around. Very streamlined interface. ICS is beautiful!
      Conference call today, my DM said new release date is December 19th as of right now.

      1. PLEASE before the 19th. 

  3. OOHHH, that has to suck. being so close but cant finish the deal. Truly feel sorry for the poor soul.

  4. A good friend of mine who is enslaved by one of these “shaks” told me they got a box of these bad boys in today. My heart dropped. Manager wouldn’t let him sell it even for an extra 50 bucks. What a joke.

    1. my best friend works at gamestop apparently its ~ a $10,000 fine+ getting fired+ there boss getting fired if they sell a game early. id expect it to be no different with cellphones

      1. I asked to have him sell me the razr and accidentally give me a nexus, then when they were released i could go in and exchange. It’s all paper work. Funny how our carrier is teasing us so bad. So bad we don’t care about their rules anymore. We all are waiting to throw hundreds of dollars at them, and have been for months. It’s ridiculous.

  5. Hey, I “almost” was able to buy 1 too…. And if you believe that, I also have a never used bridge that links Manhattan to Brooklyn that I’m willing to sell you for next to nothing! Seriously, if a sales person was smart enough to know what the Galaxy Nexus is, they most certainly knew it wasn’t for sale yet since all the latest rumors, like the one posted above, say all stores have been instructed to keep them locked up until further notice.

    1. Stuff like this happens all the time. Like the guy who walked out of Best Buy with a Galaxy Tab 8.9 a week before the release. Or Walmart employees who sell games before their street date. 

      It’s not “made up.” 

      1. In a previous life I worked for toys r us. Stuff like this happens on every release, every one. I am surprised that the computers just can’t let them sell them though. It seems easy to do technologically speaking.

      2. i was told by a best buy store manager once that some items have a “hard” date and others a “soft”. I was able to buy the PS3 wireless headphones 4 days before the “soft” date. Im sure most cell phones have “hard” dates. Its really a stupid system

        1. Yeah… I like ’em soft O_o

          ..REAL soft o_O

          1. Lol. Classic!

  6. I don’t understand the story. Verizon asked the customer if he had the email? What email? Then when the customer said he didn’t have “the email,” the clueless Rep took the phone away?
    Please rewrite!

      1. Thank you! :-)

    1. I don’t understand why he didnt reply YES to her yes or no question.

  7. I’m pretty sure that was my story. I went in to a local store about 6pm on a whim really just to find out if they had any GNex’s in stock. Like the story says, they did. I was shock when she actually brought one out instead of telling me to scram. She them opened up the box and let me play around with it, all the while I’m not even thinking about taking it home. Then she says, “well, what do you think?” Of course I said “yes”, and she started ringing me up. She had to put a SIM in it and she actually said out loud, “I need to make sure I can sell this”. That was the point at which she got on the phone. I didn’t show her any emails but apparently the person on the other end of the line asked her if she’d “seen the email that went out about the Nexus” and then she hung up and told me she couldn’t sell me the phone after all. I played like this was a shock and asked her why, and she said vaguely that it might have something to do with activating on the 4G network (the phone had no SIM and wastn’t activated. I’m in a town of about 7000 in a rural western state, so it’s not surprising some wires might get crossed. She had no clue about the phone other than it was in stock.

    1. Thanks for the tip, Jesse! Thought it was a fun story. Added your name to the post =)

      1. Similar story yesterday. The rep greeted me and said, “there you are! guess what we finally got? Now you can quit asking us every day.”

        The he went on to explain it was going to go on sale Friday but Verizon had just sent a follow-up email saying it was postponed and he’d keep me posted.

        From the sound of things today though I think I have a shot of buying it tomorrow.

        I even snapped a photo. Note the Dec 7th date on the Nexus.

        [URL=http://imgur.com/K2NaE][IMG]http://i.imgur.com/K2NaE.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

    2. It’s astounding to me how clueless carrier reps are… I had to get escalated twice when trying to activate my evo 3D over the phone on Sprint because no one had ever heard of it before, and/or was extremely confused by the process… Really?

      1. That’s ridiculous even if it wasn’t a flagship phone.  

    3. Sim card?

  8. i was really hoping for tomorrow since i have the day off. if its monday i just hope they dont run out. 

  9. I wish i was that guy… idk if he didn’t get it. at least he knows for sure that they are real

    1. You don’t “kare” if he didn’t get it?  :P

      …I have to agree with you though.  I’d have liked to have seen one first hand as well.

      1. Really?
        It’s “I don’t Know”

        1. Well it’s pretty obvious that “I don’t know” doesn’t really fit into his sentence…

  10. I’m still pretty optimistic about tomorrow. I really think the delay was due to the down network. Now if its the network being down that caused the delay than it would seem like they can now release the phone, but if the phone some how was the cause for the network to be down, we may have a problem. Ill be calling about a half a dozen Verizon stores in the morning.

  11. What’s next… We’re allowed to purchase but vzw will power the device on at their discretion?

  12. This feels like leaving a carton of eggs out on the table.  Dang it man!! They have an expiration date!  Let us enjoy them while they’re still fresh!  It’s not like you’re doing anything with them!

  13. Last night i was at my Verizon store here in Tampa, Fl and got to mess with one. The guy i  know that works there said originally there were suppose to go on sell on the 8th. The screen is gorgeous i mean crystal clear. But it was a very light phone even compared to my Droid X.

  14. Just more blue-balling by Verizon. :P

  15. Bullshit

  16. I too as well feel optimistic about tomorrow. I think Verizon was scared about releasing a 4g phone without knowledge of when their 4g coverage (that only 5% of us have access to) would return to normal.

    1. what? Verizon has delayed for weeks to avoid a random 1-2 day outage? 

  17. Not all the Verizon stores received them. That might be why

  18. The rep at Verizon i spoke with tonight kept giggling with this shit-eating grin on his face, and just kept saying “I can’t say anything about that” I reassured him I wouldn’t rat him out, but all he could say was “soon”.  Well, no kidding dipshit, you have them in the back room, of course it’s going to be “soon”.  Anybody want to make up a quick batch of thermite and go for a ride with me?

    1. Thermite? Is that like… vegemite? O_o

      1. I suggest you search YouTube for some thermite videos…. think melting the lock to the back door of the Verizon store with a 4500F chemical reaction.

        1. Kind of like the thermite that was used to melt the support columns of the WTC…

          http://vimeo.com/13726978

          1. Who invited the guy with the tin foil hat?

          2. they invite themselves….to everything.

      2. Nice Men At Work reference!

    2. My rep was nice enough to tell me the 15th is when it would go on sale according to the email they got.

      1. Mine had a British accent, so it’s hard to get mad at that.

  19. What is this email they speak of?? I’m confused. 

    1. Must be a secret. 

      1. LMAO buying this phone is gonna be like buying weed on the streets.

  20. I went to a Verizon franchise store today and started asking about the GN. At first they were hesitant to say anything but eventually the salesman said that they have received some stock and they are going to be available Dec. 9th. They had opened one and they let me play with it on WIFI. I was told, if they installed the SIM, they would be fired. They only received 6 and are holding one for me. I have an appointment to meet with the rep when the store opens and will have one in my hot little hands by 9am.

    1. Mine didn’t have a SIM either.  She also offered to hold it for me, but didn’t give me a date.  She said she would call.  Price she quoted me was $299.  Definitely 32 gb (I checked).

    2. Hmmmm….looks like I will be in line at open too!

  21. I might not have made the email part clear.  She didn’t ask me if I had an email.  It was the person on the other end of the line she called asking her if SHE got the email saying (I’m assuming here) DO NOT SELL THESE PHONES.  The phone was awesome, and almost unbelievably smooth.  Red inside the box which was two halves with a wrapper.  Damn. 

  22. We are litterally wanting to throw our money at them and they say no…wtf?

  23. Nice that the price is conveniently cropped out. WTF? 

  24. I feel like Charley in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the original). Every time I look at an Android site or open Verizon Wireless, I hope to see the Galaxy Nexus. 

    It’s so bad that I’ve got the song “I’ve got a golden ticket” with “Galaxy Nexus” substituted for “golden ticket” running through my head.

      1. Nooooooooo! ;-)

    1. Dang it!! Now I’m going to be singing that for the rest of the day!!

  25. “Do not sell until Razr inventory is depleted”

    1. great. we’ll never get it then :(

  26. just got off the phone with a verizon store here in las vegas. She said and i quote “the galaxy nexus has been delayed” which we all knew already. I asked if they have got these in yet and she said yes. I asked do you have any idea when you will be able to sell me one and she said monday or tuesday from everything she was told.  I asked if this was about the 4G outage and she said it could have been, so no good info on that.  I pushed for more info and then i asked if i were to pay you $1000 would you sell me one and she said she would love to, but that she would lose her job.  BOOOOOOOO

    1. Then I’d just go thug life and sell as many as I could before I lost my job.

      Reason for termination from Verizon: You sold phones.

  27. “…almost made out with the Galaxy Nexus.” Glad I’m not the only one that would…

  28. this makes me want to murder

  29. This has turned in to quite the mess.

  30. OH MY GOD, YOU JUST NAILED IT!! This whole thing has been like if they decided to postpone Christmas! And you were 12 years old!

  31. Wonder if we will ever know what the delay was. After waiting for this phone for so long, it can’t possibly live up to my expectations.

  32. 2 words. Flash rob! Who’s with me?

    1. problem with that is the serial numbers would be easily tracked

      1. So funny how the wait for this phone has gotten so crazy that the only reason Phandroid readers won’t steal it is because they might be traced.

  33. It has to be the 4.0.1 -> 4.1 that is holding it up.  I bet as is in the box it is buggy and  they are tweaking 4.1 for the launch.  what else could it be?!

  34. The thread keeps munching up my posts. :(

  35. Get an iPhone

    1. blow me

      1. Beer me and I just might!

  36. Stopped @ a Costco yesterday and asked the Verizon rep @ the Kisok “Whats the deal? When is GN going to be released?” He responded “As far as I know, Dec 9th, in a bundle deal and probably 10 dollars less than VZW store”

    Just an FYI for whatever its worth….im keeping the faith for Dec 9th!

  37. can someone tell me whether or not we are allowed to opt for the 300MB ($20) data plan for this phone?  the screen shot says $30 data plan required, but the double data promo was supposed to allow the 300MB plan for any 4G phone.  plus, if you goto the verizon website, it lets you pair this data plan with a RAZR.  what gives?

    1. Not sure, but if they make you sign up for the $30 plan, just wait a few days, go online and change it.

  38. I’m optimistic about tomorrow as well, I think I might be able to weasel one out of this one screwball rep over in Minneapolis, hopefully he’s working at 730 in the morning tomorrow! Let’s just hope to christ none of our fellow phandroiders actually commit suicide like they say they are. 

  39. Well this is one big goat screw. I would love to know what the real reason is for all this delay.

    I went to the store and talked to a salesperson and said I was ready to do an upgrade  and how crappy my current phone was acting and when I said I wanted a Nexus it was like I punched her in the gut. I know the stores have to be getting it pretty hard. For the record they said the 15th in the store. I doubt that was much more than getting me out of the store after trying to pressure me into a razr as anything else.

    They have also done something to the razr display to make the screen look less crappy compared to when I looked at it last. Still no sale with that sealed in battery.

    Oh yea they tried to sell me on a tablet since they didn’t have the phone I wanted.

    Now I am wondering if its going to be one of those situations where they sell out and I am unable to find one after they release them.

  40. Well, less than two more hours until tomorrow, December 9th, 2011 here in the Mountain Time Zone. Perhaps tomorrow is the day many shall purchase the long-awaited “Google Galaxy Nexus” or… I can just head over to Best Buy and pick-up the Samsung Galaxy S II Sky Rocket via AT&T?

  41. That’s IT! I’m done, buying it from Expansys Monday. And using MSM w/ unlimited everything + 4g for $60. You could have had my money VZW and the extra $20 a month. But you’ve kept me waiting far too long.

  42. I cannot tell a lie…waiting for this phone has been a nightmare! Of course that’s my “PG, I’m being very nice” version of what I would really like to say about the situation.

  43. Why, people keep blaming Verizon for everything…and not thinking that maybe Red is not the hold up of this phone is odd to me. Not, only that but…Its a Google phone….and all Nex phones that I have seen, were pretty mich advertised by Google or Youtube…but its like somany people are not looking at their finggers pointed allll over Verizon…

    1. The boxes are in the stores.  It can’t be anyone but Verizon’s fault at this point.

    2. Ahhhh….the phone has been available in Europe for weeks…it’s now available in Canada…other carriers seem to have no problem releasing the phone…who else is to be blamed?

  44. hey screw you Verizon.

  45. ok everyone. Put on your ski masks and lets go shopping tonight. lol
    Just kidding (in case the verizon police decides to take me seriously, kicks down my door and beat me with iphones).

    You can either let these news/rumors make you crazy or just laugh it off. If you really want the GN you’ll have it sooner or later. 9 months from now we’re going to go nuts over another gadget anyway and totally forget about GN.

    1. 9 months? That’s generous. I’m thinking less than two weeks.

  46. i’m just here to give some love for the use of “Nexi” <3

    1. Actually, plural is nexuses

  47. They realized the galaxy nexus name is retarded and are shipping out brand new packaging to once again call it the nexus prime.  This would make this latest delay acceptable to me.  Saying galaxy nexus still feels like a monkey pooped in my mouth.

  48. OMG so it’s going to be at least another year till ATT gets this phone……. Might as well wait for the galaxy S3 at this rate……

  49. rep last night discouraged people from getting the nexus.  he said there are too many problems with it right now and the store doesn’t have any faith in the product at this moment, even after they played with the phone for a while.

    1. this will not increase your chances of getting one even one little bit.  We are still going to buy them so you better get to the store early, despite your little ruse to keep us away.

  50. The delay probably has something to do with the promised ICS update on day 1.

  51. I steal all of that and sell them. I’ll keep one of two of course.

  52. My store has 40 of them in the back.  They said probably next week, and will hold one for me.  They were happy to sell me an extended battery and case, though…

  53. One of the saddest stories I’ve ever read.

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