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While none of this is particularly new to any of us, it’s always good to see some goods from the yet-to-be-released Verizon Galaxy Nexus. This time, our tipster shows us how much data he’s been using (hint: a lot) and shows us Verizon’s apps disabled (meaning they won’t show up in the launcher and they won’t start up on their own).
It’s just reassurance for those who absolutely despise non-Google preinstalled applications and want to know if Verizon allows you to disable these apps. Unfortunately they cannot be uninstalled but the amount of space they take up is beyond negligible and you’ll forget they’re even there after a while. And yes, I already know what you all are thinking. If you still want to express your frustration, the comments section is open for business. [Thanks Anon!]
REJOICE.
Fool.
:(
I JUST WANT IT ALREADY!
disabled but always there !!
These apps are arguably very useful (many people want and use them), they do not incur service fees, and if you don’t like them consuming memory/CPU/battery resources, just disable them. I’m sure many will still argue over the principle of the matter, but I don’t personally see any issues here. No Bing, no VZNavigator or VCast junk, no OEM skinning or customized apps, looks like a winner to me. Now just let me order one already! ^_^
Agreed. I use My Verizon Mobile, it allows me to easily track my two sons usage.
I personally don’t have an issue with them being preinstalled. But why not allow someone to remove them?? At that point its not like you’ll ever use them anyway.
Yeah, but if they’re out of sight and not consuming resources, why does it even matter? I’m willing to bet that once they’re disabled and out of site, you won’t really care anymore.
Because that’s not how Android works. Disabling is the best you can do since the /system partition is read only (for very good reasons).
It isn’t the preinstall that is the problem. The carrier is not going to sit quietly and allow google to update the os on the phone if it breaks their app. It is the os update delay that hurts the customer.
I hear you, but I highly doubt that those two apps are substantial enough to run into major compatibility issues with new OS updates. Custom launchers and other customized core apps are far, FAR more likely to cause delays than these two standalone apps.
Root and remove is my plan.
Yep, root & boot…
Where is the ^&^*&^^ phone, for the love of ^*&^%%, I want to *&^%&&% someone in the *^^&*&&^ for the delays, what kind of *&^&*^%^&%^ is making these *(&*&*& decisions. A dead monkey can do a better job as a release manager than the *^&*(*&*&* that works at Verizon. If it wasn’t that Verizon is the only carrier that works in my house, I would *^&^*&^&^& their *&^*(&*& and (&*(&^*(^&*(m with, UY*(&(*&(*&*(& mickey mouse, and their whole *&(*(*(*)*)((8 and eat their *&*(&&*&^& with (*&*&^*&*&^*&
Thanks
Were you trying to be funny?
at least frustration mode removed the foul language. @thechooz:disqus was thinking of the children.
“*^&^*&^&^& their *&^*(&*& and (&*(&^*(^&*(m with, UY*(&(*&(*&*(& mickey mouse” Win.
So let me get this straigh here.. I read on engadget that the Galaxy Nexus doesnt sync your contacts with facebook.. Does anyone no if this is correct??
if it’s anything like my droid 2, i had to download the “facebook for android” app. i dont know for certain how 4.0 and FB integration works – either by default / installed app / not at all.
I guess it has something to do with the API I guess since the people app was completely overhauled.. So im guessing facebook better fix this..
can you disable the fact that because the OS is an altered OS that the updates will have to come through verzion? Oh, didn’t think so…call it what you will, but *that* is the issue, not that you can or cannot disable the stupid software.
That is exactly right. The best feature of my Nexus One is that the updates come OTA from Google within a week of when Google releases the software. While other phones never get upgraded, my Nexus One was always upgraded.
Verizon bloatware, even disabled, still makes me wonder where and when my OTA upgrades will come.
Well, no one really knows how it’s going to work, but it’s entirely possible that (and I fully expect this) updates will still be pushed OTA by Google. I say this because updating Android does not do a clean wipe so all Verizon will have to do is update their apps through the Market, and only IF the update breaks their apps, which it won’t in almost all cases.
It’s trivial for Google to make a stock ICS ROM with 2 extra apps. Verizon does not have to be involved at all, they just have to send the binaries to Google. No big deal.
Well, we just won’t know until we know.
But it’s 2 more apps for Galaxy Nexus for Verizon, and how many more apps for Galaxy Nexus for AT&T, and how many more apps for GN for Rogers, and how many more apps for GN for … and so on ad infinitum….
I like many others, are waiting to see how fast the updates come out. That is the main draw for me, fast updates straight from Google. If Verizon fucks this fast release schedule up, I will be moving to a carrier that gives a true Google “experience” … Sprint.
@Kirk, maybe I am naive or something but I don’t see how including a couple of market apps would slow down any updates. All thay have to do is package the apps with the update. Its not like its a ui added or some other manufacturer/Verizon BS.
First, it means the update may not come from Google, but may be released by Verizon when Verizon is good and willing.
And then it’s another step, and you are relying on Verizon to pay for that step.
So when Verizon, 15 months from now, decides the Galaxy Nexus is no longer worth supporting, poof, it’s gone.
It’s not a designated Google Developer Phone supported by Google needed by Google to make their Android strategy work, it’s one Verizon Phone of hundreds sold by / maintained by Verizon, and just not interesting to them.
And like that, your phone has been rendered obsolete.
Why does everyone assume that this means the updates have to come from Verizon? We don’t know this and have no real reason to believe it’s true other than distrust of Verizon.
Verizon will Want to spend time finding people to test and then address bug fixes on these apps before they allow google to release an update to their customers. 4 months from now when the next version of the os is available, this phone will not be a priority for Verizon. This will slow updates.
The backup assistant is very handy
Well, nice that they can be disabled but unfortunately since they’re installed and can’t be removed it will delay OS updates. Not having them there at all, and adding them to the market instead, would have been the better decision.
If the update is going through Verizon first, it’s going to be delayed regardless.
This is good news. Verizon could have disabled the feature to “disable” preinstalled apps.
It’s a NEXUS. They shouldn’t have any power at all to determine anything.
I dont want to “disable” bloatware. I’d want to “remove” it.
It may not be much added, but that minute amount of bloatware will stall any future firmware updates because they would have to halt release just to add them in..
It doesn’t effect me. I’m not on Verizon, but Googles Nexus line should be bloatware free so that it does not stall future updates. That was the whole point was it not?
That WAS the whole point. Verizon is evil.
My Frustration!!!
/expression
Seriously though. This hurts badly. I really want to “vote with my wallet”. But there’s no alternative to vote ON. EVERYTHING comes with Verizon’s bloatware. So what am I to do? I’d get a Razr, but that’s no better, in terms of the bloat. It has a sleeker exterior, but no ICS. So, I’m torn between two great phones that are (as a result of bloatware) equal to me.
Man…tough call…can I yell at someone at Google or Verizon about the bloat? Cause I’d really like to.
EDIT: It’s not so much that the apps are terrible. But I don’t want them. I actually would use “My Verizon”. It’s installed anyway. But the inability to uninstall the others…it might not hurt my phone. But it hurts in principle.
There are other carriers to choose from.
I know what you mean. There’s this app on my phone called “email” and I don’t even use that. I have a gmail and don’t need that app taking up space, but I can’t uninstall it. Not even with root. Also the clock app? Um… I just need an alarm clock, I don’t need all that extra world clock stuff. What a waste of 500kB. I sure wish I could uninstall those. I should complain about it.
Just to be clear, apps that ship WITH the phone are on a READ-ONLY system partition. Even if disable was a delete button, you could NOT use the space freed up from deleting them. So ICS’ disable button is almost as good as delete (the only difference is that they still show up in the manage applications list, that’s the only difference).
Android updates on your NEXUS phone will now be delayed courtesy of Verizon. You do want Verizon to spend a “little” extra time testing out these apps that you didn’t ask for before they permit you to upgrade the os right? I’d like an explanation from google and Verizon.
well. we all already knew that the gsm version will get the updates first. the gsm nexus S did over the sprint nexus S 4g so whats surprising about this
Wonder if these apps are the cause of the delayed release of the phone. Thanks Verizon.
Seriously???…. At this point why doesn’t the whole Android community show Google/Verizon how disappointed we are and just completely stop reporting on any Galaxy Nexus news? Like we haven’t had enough “news” and “updates” since the first rumors of this phone first “leaked” as far back as April or May,..or whenever the hell it was….my god what total debacle! HUGE FAIL! At this point they will be lucky if anyone even wants this phone when ever they do decide to launch,…. oh not to mention the fact that they haven’t even hinted at when it will be available for T-Mobile/AT&T. There are plenty of users who won’t buy it no matter how good it could be just for the fact that it’s on Verizon,… So seriously people — STOP reporting on this device,…I think we can all agree it’s been beat do death already. This almost ranks up there with Duke Nukem Forever in terms of disappointment
MOVE ON! I know I have,…and many other people have as well. All I have to say is Good luck next year with the Nexus 4 because this year was total disaster. I bet two weeks from today this phone will still not be out! hahahaha,…wow,…EPIC FAIL!
I’d be willing to bet that the majority have not moved on. I’m anxious, irritated, and a bit exhausted regarding this phone not having a release date, but in regards to the overall success of this device, Google, and Verizon, nobody is going to FAIL in the end. I’m pretty sure they will make their quotas and then some.
TOTAL DISASTER!! Look, not ONE sale yet!!
Disable is more than good enough. Hopefully they will follow this practice on all bloatware on all Android phone.s
I don’t get all the complaining. Just root the phone and get updates the day the source is released. The Galaxy Nexus will probably be the most owned and have the largest dev support among any phone on the market. I will compare it to the OG Droid. After 2 years dev’s are still actively supporting it. The fact that the Nexus is unlocked and already rooted and on the largetlst network means it will have a lot of support. Maybe not from Verizon, but surely it will be supported for 20 months (the time where you become eligefor an upgrade).
As long as you disable the app what’s there to worry about
At least they give you the option to disable them. I would pay big money to disable the bloatware on my rezound… I guess ill just wait on a perma – root.
Why do I get the feeling this is why this phone has taken so long to be released… I wonder how much pushing VZW had to do to get their apps on there? Granted some are useful to those that already use them or might use them, but if you want them then download them. +eleventybillion for the factory flashable image (if it lacks the VZW apps)! I have to wonder if the image is googles option for the diehard… I’ll be pleased if it is…
I don’t know why people are complaining. The only people who would get this phone will be the same people who root. I mean, I don’t know anyone who has a Nexus device that isn’t rooted. If you have one unrooted, then oh.
But still, if you’re going to root, you shouldn’t even care about this. I mean, you’re going to get the updates at least a month before it’s actually pushed.
Just because you can’t uninstall 2 useful apps doesn’t make it less of a Google Experience. The Google Experience requires root, and you know it. And if you’re going to root then why are you even here complaining?
You’re wrong this will be a wildly popular phone sold even to mommies and daddies. Since Sprint got the Nexus it has become a commercialized device just like any other.
Well mommy and daddy don’t care about updates let alone if they’re delayed.
I never questioned that fact. Only the “only people who would get this phone will be the same people who root” part.
Why is BackupAssistant useful? Does it backup something that isn’t backed up to Google?