Terrible Gmail problems with Nexus 4

**mset** · 03-13-2013, 03:28 AM

EDIT Wednesday March 13: Please see post #15 in this thread for a review of my experience with Google Nexus Support this afternoon.

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Tuesday March 12

Just got a Nexus 4. I was testing the push function for gmail and started seeing anomalies. Searches revealed these two threads

Obviously there's an issue. For me, the Gmail app is almost totally useless. After the phone goes to sleep, there is no way of telling what it will do. I send a test message from my desktop Gmail and it comes instantly. I send another right away with a small attachment and it takes 7 minutes. I'm posting here because I sent an email from my hotmail account to my gmail. It showed up instantly on my desktop and has completely failed to appear on my Nexus 4. Other emails have arrived since, and still no sign of the one sent from hotmail.

I saw two emails arrive in my Gmail on my desktop. I went to the Nexus and they weren't there. I stared at the phone for a while, then I clicked on the middle of the 5 icons across the bottom of my Inbox view (Labels, I think). There, I saw Inbox and Priority Inbox. Each had the number '2' beside them. I clicked on Priority Inbox and there were the two emails. I then clicked on the Inbox... and there were the two emails, which weren't there a second before that.

Is this an issue with every Android phone or just the Nexus 4? Does anyone have an idea if there's a fix for this that I haven't found?

Extremely disappointed, mostly because I am so sick of the iPhone and love most everything about the Nexus 4. But this is just totally unexpected, considering it's a Google Phone!!!

**ohyeahar** · 03-13-2013, 03:49 AM

Are you using some sort of battery saver app? It sounds like what's happening is your device's internet connection is cut off every time your display turns off. If that happens, obviously you lose the ability to receive push notifications.

**mset** · 03-13-2013, 04:01 AM

Originally Posted by ohyeahar

Are you using some sort of battery saver app? It sounds like what's happening is your device's internet connection is cut off every time your display turns off. If that happens, obviously you lose the ability to receive push notifications.

You're right about the problem, but a battery saver app isn't the cause. Check out the threads I linked to. The issue is that when the phone goes to sleep, it loses connection with the Gmail servers over WiFi, but the reason is outlined in the XDA Dev thread. It's over my head but the programmers know exactly what's going on. They are at a loss to explain why Google can't fix it.

"Nexus stops responding to ARP requests when screen is off with WiFi on"

Maybe that means something to you. It doesn't to me. All I want to know is how to fix this problem.

**mset** · 03-13-2013, 04:06 AM

On March 5th, a Google rep (Paul) states outright that they do not have a fix yet. This issue has been known for 3 (three!!) months. See this thread.

I don't even know what I'm expecting here. If Google says they can't fix it...

More info from the coders

Gotta get some sleep. Will respond tomorrow.

**ohyeahar** · 03-13-2013, 04:10 AM

Seems there's a fix within one of the links you sent.

I'm not endorsing it since I don't seem to have this issue. But it's something you can try. Probably best to do a nandroid backup before you do.

**mset** · 03-13-2013, 04:15 AM

Originally Posted by ohyeahar

Seems there's a fix within one of the links you sent.

I'm not endorsing it since I don't seem to have this issue. But it's something you can try. Probably best to do a nandroid backup before you do.

Ummm...have you read through that fix? If so, and you think you could try it, you're either a programmer or you're waaaay smarter than I am (you're probably both). I have no idea what 'rooting' is, and those pages of code mean less than nothing to me.

I have read every post in the thread you linked to, and in every thread I linked to. Those fixes are not for people like me, they're for programmers and others who are extremely tech adept. I am just a normal person who needs a working phone, and I have exactly zero time to be trying these types of extremely technically involved fixes. I'm sure you're not suggesting that attempting something like that is appropriate for anything other than a tiny minority of Nexus 4 users. If you are, we will have to agree to disagree. Thanks for the link anyhow.

I am stunned, frankly. Incredible that Google could let this happen, and then go on for 3 months. Plenty of folks over on the Blackberry Z10 side is complaining about that phone but I have a friend who's using one without any problems - and guess what? He can access his Gmail with it!

**ohyeahar** · 03-13-2013, 04:36 AM

Well, outside of any OTA update coming directly from Google, any fix will likely require some sort of tinkering with code.

To be honest, the fix I linked to is already relatively easy. You just need to have root access and to have a custom recovery. But if you don't know what either of those are, then I'm sorry to say you're probably out of luck...

**mset** · 03-13-2013, 04:42 AM

Originally Posted by ohyeahar

Well, outside of any OTA update coming directly from Google, any fix will likely require some sort of tinkering with code.

To be honest, the fix I linked to is already relatively easy. You just need to have root access and to have a custom recovery. But if you don't know what either of those are, then I'm sorry to say you're probably out of luck...

I really don't and I don't have the time to figure out that process and then troubleshoot by starting threads and waiting for answers in case I brick the phone.

Don't know what else to say, other than this is beyond unbelievable. It's like not being able to access Hotmail using IE because of some bug in the code.

In any case, this phone is buggy as hell. Just now, I tried to use the two finger swipe from the top to access the settings, just like I've been doing all day, and it wouldn't work. Had to restart the phone to get it to work.

**Sir Alex** · 03-13-2013, 07:46 AM

There is a setting to keep wifi on during sleep. Do you have that setting enabled?

**N4Newbie** · 03-13-2013, 07:47 AM

I have none of these problems. Period.

Also, I an very suspicious of battery saving apps; they have been troublesome since the earliest days of PalmOS devices and still are.

**Unicorn Rancher** · 03-13-2013, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by mset

IOther emails have arrived since, and still no sign of the one sent from hotmail.

Hotmail? Have you checked your spam folder?

**Citizen Coyote** · 03-13-2013, 04:05 PM

I have no Gmail issues on my N4 either, and I run Qualcomm's Snapdragon Battery Guru to boot. Whatever issue you're experiencing is definitely not universal though, so that's both a blessing and a curse.

**frenziedfemale** · 03-13-2013, 04:15 PM

Have you tried ditching the gmail app and trying a different email app, like maildroid? I have never missed an email, that I know of, but I also have never used the gmail app. One of the top 5 awesome things about android, lots of options, usually free!!!!!
Seriously, had a friend who had issues getting notifications on his N4 for yahoo mail, had him switch to maildroid and it is working perfectly.

**mset** · 03-13-2013, 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by Citizen Coyote

I have no Gmail issues on my N4 either, and I run Qualcomm's Snapdragon Battery Guru to boot. Whatever issue you're experiencing is definitely not universal though, so that's both a blessing and a curse.

Yes, that's true. There is a community of people discussing this issue at the links I provided, including a Google rep. I guess I'm just one of the unlucky ones. So are you saying that you run the phone off WiFi at home and the phone goes to sleep but continues to provide you with instant (or close enough) push notifications? Have you tested this?

Originally Posted by Sir Alex

There is a setting to keep wifi on during sleep. Do you have that setting enabled?

Yes, I do.

Originally Posted by frenziedfemale

Have you tried ditching the gmail app and trying a different email app, like maildroid? I Seriously, had a friend who had issues getting notifications on his N4 for yahoo mail, had him switch to maildroid and it is working perfectly.

Now here's a good suggestion! I have hope for the first time in the past 24 hours! Seriously, I want to love this phone. How anyone could continue to use an iPhone after using one of these is beyond me. I just need it to work. I will look into this later tonight.

**mset** · 03-13-2013, 09:27 PM

I want to tell everyone about my experience with Google Support. In a word, it was awesome. Last night my phone would not allow me to use the two finger swipe to reveal the settings etc area. When I called Google about my Gmail problems this morning, I mentioned in passing that I was having this problem. The representative immediately started treating my issue as a hardware issue and asked me a few questions. Then, ('just to be sure', he said), he sent me a new phone! It is important to note that I have no receipt - I bought this phone from a very trusted seller over at RFD. He just ran the IMEI and saw that it had never been registered and that it was bought through the Google Play store.

As I say, I am very impressed. Contrast this with Blackberry! They say they have nothing to do with warranty support for their devices. They say that the 'Point Of Sale Entity' is the one I need to talk to if my new Z10 is defective. Ridiculous. Like I want to fight Telus on something like that. They could learn a thing or two from Google. This has always been the way with BBRY.

Anyhow, not impressed with the fact that Google can't resolve this issue with losing connection to their own servers when their device goes to sleep on WiFi, but their support approach has made up for it.

**hamish2** · 03-13-2013, 11:46 PM

Hope your new phone sorts out this gmail problem for you - I often sit at my desk with gmail open on my laptop browser, my phone is set to sleep after 1 minute so it is always asleep in my pocket. My phone will vibrate to alert me of a new gmail, I will then look at my laptop and wait about 60 seconds before I receive the desktop alert that there is a new email - my nexus 4 was from the 1st batch in November and I am on t-mobile usa if that makes a difference...

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

**mset** · 03-14-2013, 12:17 AM

Originally Posted by hamish2

Hope your new phone sorts out this gmail problem for you

Thanks for letting me know about your experience. So are you connected via WiFi when this happens? Does your phone automatically connect to your home WiFi network when you walk in the door?

**gnr_2** · 03-14-2013, 01:28 AM

Originally Posted by mset

Thanks for letting me know about your experience. So are you connected via WiFi when this happens? Does your phone automatically connect to your home WiFi network when you walk in the door?

As you can see, I'm not a N4 owner but I do use the GMail app. I also use Light Flow which notifies me I have a message. I will go to GMail and sometimes, there is that number but no new message until you refresh the screen. Lots of people complain about this in the app review. The iOS app is MUCH better, looks nicer, has better user interface, but I don't know if it has this same issue. I'll have to check.

So, get a notification app, and hit the refresh icon if you don't want to try a new mail app.

Sent from my totally awesome Sprint Galaxy Nexus, even if I don't know all its secrets yet.

**mset** · 03-14-2013, 01:46 AM

Originally Posted by gnr_2

As you can see, I'm not a N4 owner but I do use the GMail app. I also use Light Flow which notifies me I have a message.The iOS app is MUCH better, looks nicer, has better user interface, but I don't know if it has this same issue. I'll have to check.

Having come from iOS, I know that the mail client works seamlessly with gmail. I still have my iPhone and was using it to test against the Nexus 4. The iPhone got all emails instantly.

I may try Lightflow, thanks, but I need an audible notification that works.

**hamish2** · 03-14-2013, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by mset

Thanks for letting me know about your experience. So are you connected via WiFi when this happens? Does your phone automatically connect to your home WiFi network when you walk in the door?

I have WiFi on all the time and it connects immediately every time I arrive home or at the office...

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

**gnr_2** · 03-14-2013, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by mset

Having come from iOS, I know that the mail client works seamlessly with gmail. I still have my iPhone and was using it to test against the Mexus 4. The iPhone got all emails instantly.

I may try Lightflow, thanks, but I need an audible notification that works.

Lightflow is audible as well.

Sent from my totally awesome Sprint Galaxy Nexus, even if I don't know all its secrets yet.

**ConTejas** · 03-14-2013, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by mset

Thanks for letting me know about your experience. So are you connected via WiFi when this happens? Does your phone automatically connect to your home WiFi network when you walk in the door?

Just wanted to chime in I've never experienced any such issues and my phone auto connects to the multiple WiFi networks I have saved. No notification issues with sceen off/wifi on etc etc. Perhaps you do have a defective device. Hope your new device is proper and I'm glad to hear of another pleasant experience with Google support. I really respect their general business model (outside of Android). It's really LG's fault if it's hardware, of course, but it's nice to see Google support the device as their own as they should.

**mset** · 03-14-2013, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by ConTejas

Just wanted to chime in I've never experienced any such issues and my phone auto connects to the multiple WiFi networks I have saved. No notification issues with sceen off/wifi on etc etc. Perhaps you do have a defective device. Hope your new device is proper and I'm glad to hear of another pleasant experience with Google support. I really respect their general business model (outside of Android). It's really LG's fault if it's hardware, of course, but it's nice to see Google support the device as their own as they should.

That's actually really encouraging. I am praying that the replacement device does not do this. After another 24 hours of experimenting, it's clear that I'm experiencing this. I tested the phone while I was out and about today. On 3G there are no issues, sending myself emails or having people send them to me. No issues on either the Gmail app, Gmail accessed using MailDroid, or using the built-in Android email app to access Hotmail. So it's only when I am at home and the phone connects to WiFi.

Having played with the phone for another 24 hours and added things like the unreal Swiftkey, I will never go back to an iPhone. Here's hoping that the next one I get is the right one!

**Citizen Coyote** · 03-15-2013, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by mset

Yes, that's true. There is a community of people discussing this issue at the links I provided, including a Google rep. I guess I'm just one of the unlucky ones. So are you saying that you run the phone off WiFi at home and the phone goes to sleep but continues to provide you with instant (or close enough) push notifications? Have you tested this?

Yup. I'm on wifi both at home and work, and have not had a problem getting Gmail in either location. Hopefully your new phone will fix these issues for you. It would certainly frustrate me if I were in your shoes.

**runtmms** · 03-15-2013, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by Citizen Coyote

Yup. I'm on wifi both at home and work, and have not had a problem getting Gmail in either location. Hopefully your new phone will fix these issues for you. It would certainly frustrate me if I were in your shoes.

I also have no problems with Gmail. Comes into a sleeping phone via wifi no problem. I use light flow for notifications. As an FYI I'm still running 4.2.1.

Sent from my Nexus 4 on Solavei