Google Nexus 6 on Verizon

[SpookDroid]

Re: Play Store Version and T-Mobile

Usually Play Store and carrier versions don't differ for Nexus devices, and T-Mo said WiFi calling support for this device was coming, so I don't see why it shouldn't.

Nevermind. They will add support for THEIR Nexus 6, so this part will be a T-Mobile update.

 

[phalanx_x]

Re: On-contract AT&T/Verizon Nexus 6 will come with bloatware?

Does Google have enough influence over the carriers to prevent them from installing bloatware on the Nexus 6?

No... Unless they made some sort of deal... which I don't know what that would even look like. (Possibly something like how Apple has it set up with carriers?) The fault is not with Google, but with AT&T claiming that their bloatware phone is a "Pure Android Experience" which is what they did with the MotoX. Verizon was the only semi moral one and didn't flat out claim this.

 

[tdizzel]

Re: The on-contract AT&T/Verizon Nexus 6 will come with bloatware

If it's Moto's marketing term, then why didn't Verizon roll with it?

What? What?!? What?
Really?!???!?
You JUST posted a line from Verizon's site that uses the phrase "pure Android experience" and now you're asking why they don't use the phrase "pure Android experience" what's wrong with you? if you're not joking I'm really worried about you

Posted from the Avengers: Age of Droid Ultra

 

[phalanx_x]

Re: The on-contract AT&T/Verizon Nexus 6 will come with bloatware

What? What?!? What?
Really?!???!?
You JUST posted a line from Verizon's site that uses the phrase "pure Android experience" and now you're asking why they don't use the phrase "pure Android experience" what's wrong with you? if you're not joking I'm really worried about you

Posted from the Avengers: Age of Droid Ultra

It's ok, I won't get mad at you. I'll just assume you didn't have your reading glasses on.

Here's what I posted earlier:

I dunno... take a look at Verizon's Moto X page. You'll see that they at least didn't want to get sued. The wording they are using is premeditated:

"Use intuitively with a more pure Android experience" [emphasis added].

Did Motorola tell Verizon to do that?

In legal-ese there's a HUGE difference between "Pure Android Experience" (AT&T) and "MORE Pure Android Experience". (Verizon)

 

[nickacs]

Re: Nexus 6 on VERIZON

For your signal issues, you can also think about using a prepaid service that uses Verizon's network, although it'll be hard to find one that has 4G.

Thanks for the info. Eh, yea not going to try prepaid, we would just switch back to good 'ol regular VZW postpaid plans. Yea, monthly bill will go back up to $145 or so with taxes, but we've "seen the other side" and definitely wasn't the best for our situation.

 

[Scott7217]

Re: On-contract AT&T/Verizon Nexus 6 will come with bloatware?

No... Unless they made some sort of deal... which I don't know what that would even look like. (Possibly something like how Apple has it set up with carriers?)

Android is very popular now, so it wouldn't surprise me if Google had more negotiating power over the carriers, similar to what Apple has. It would be very refreshing to see another phone with no bloatware on multiple carriers.

 

[tdizzel]

Re: The on-contract AT&T/Verizon Nexus 6 will come with bloatware

It's ok, I won't get mad at you. I'll just assume you didn't have your reading glasses on.

Here's what I posted earlier:




In legal-ese there's a HUGE difference between "Pure Android Experience" (AT&T) and "MORE Pure Android Experience". (Verizon)

Ok President Clinton, it does depend on what the meaning of "is" is

Posted from the Avengers: Age of Droid Ultra

 

[Jeremy8000]

Re: Play Store Version and T-Mobile

Usually Play Store and carrier versions don't differ for Nexus devices, and T-Mo said WiFi calling support for this device was coming, so I don't see why it shouldn't.

Nevermind. They will add support for THEIR Nexus 6, so this part will be a T-Mobile update.

T-Mobile's press release said:
"Plus, this hot new smartphone is expected to support Wi-Fi Un-leashed beginning in early 2015 with an over-the-air update– making it the first-ever Nexus device that will support Wi-Fi Calling thanks to enhancements in Android 5.0."

Nowhere does it state that T-Mobile would be providing the update (it could be something direct from Google if it's not inclusive of proprietary code that would be meaningless bloat to all non-T-Mobile users), nor does it state that it would only work on devices sold by T-Mobile (even if it is an OTA issued by T-Mobile, they could opt to flash it out to all N6 whose IMEIs are validated in their system as T-Mobile customers, which would include any N6's that might have been bought from Google Play, Amazon, Best Buy, etc).

At this point we can only conjecture. My expectation is that T-Mobile would want to avoid preventing its customers and potential customers from enjoying the advantages of WiFi calling, as that feature is both (a) a benefit to sell when enticing customers to switch (and remain) with T-Mobile and (b) a great way to reduce wireless network traffic.

 

[phalanx_x]

Re: The on-contract AT&T/Verizon Nexus 6 will come with bloatware

Ok President Clinton, it does depend on what the meaning of "is" is

Posted from the Avengers: Age of Droid Ultra

Who is this "President Clinton" you are referring to?

 

[phalanx_x]

Re: On-contract AT&T/Verizon Nexus 6 will come with bloatware?

Android is very popular now, so it wouldn't surprise me if Google had more negotiating power over the carriers, similar to what Apple has. It would be very refreshing to see another phone with no bloatware on multiple carriers.

I could see this being the case. If the OS updates came directly from Google, I would still buy the phone on contract from AT&T.

 

[Robbie317]

Re: Play Store Version and T-Mobile

Usually Play Store and carrier versions don't differ for Nexus devices, and T-Mo said WiFi calling support for this device was coming, so I don't see why it shouldn't.

Nevermind. They will add support for THEIR Nexus 6, so this part will be a T-Mobile update.

Can't you just use Google Voice/Hangouts and make WiFi calls already?

I know I read that WiFi calling was baked into the Lollipop OS already..... do you NEED the T-Mobile version????

 

[SpookDroid]

Re: Play Store Version and T-Mobile

Yeah, but that's not really "WiFi Calling" per se. That's VoIP. Sort of like Skype. You are using your Google Voice number/service to make calls via data. T-Mo's WiFi Calling feature lets you do something similar but using your T-Mobile number/service. It routes your call data through, well, data, instead of the usual voice channel.

I don't know if you'll need to get the T-Mobile version though.

For instance, the international Note 3 in theory supports WiFi calling, but neither in Mexican Telcel or in US's T-Mobile did I ever see that setting appear.

 

[Robbie317]

Re: Play Store Version and T-Mobile

Yeah, but that's not really "WiFi Calling" per se. That's VoIP. Sort of like Skype. You are using your Google Voice number/service to make calls via data. T-Mo's WiFi Calling feature lets you do something similar but using your T-Mobile number/service. It routes your call data through, well, data, instead of the usual voice channel.

I don't know if you'll need to get the T-Mobile version though.

For instance, the international Note 3 in theory supports WiFi calling, but neither in Mexican Telcel or in US's T-Mobile did I ever see that setting appear.

I don't even talk on the phone enough for it to be a concern.... I use this wonderful T-Mobile $30 plan with only 100 minutes of talk and then unlimited text and data (5 gig on LTE) six months now and my largest talk month was 96 minutes.... no other month was over 74..... I mostly text and email...

 

[Scott7217]

Re: Nexus 6 on VERIZON

Thanks for the info. Eh, yea not going to try prepaid, we would just switch back to good 'ol regular VZW postpaid plans. Yea, monthly bill will go back up to $145 or so with taxes, but we've "seen the other side" and definitely wasn't the best for our situation.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I think a lot of people think it's easy to just drop Verizon, but they don't realize that everyone's situation is different.

It would be nice if more companies would expand into more markets. However, until that happens, sometimes Verizon is the only choice.

 

[Crispy]

Re: Nexus 6 on VERIZON

I have 2 reasons never to leave Verizon - I don't get any GSM signal inside my house, and I have a grandfathered unlimited plan which I'd be foolish to give up as any of the newer plans are at least 2x more.

It's actually cheaper for me to buy the Nexus 6 off contract and keep my plan vs signing up for a new contract and being forced into new plan.

 

[Jeremy8000]

Re: Play Store Version and T-Mobile

I don't know if you'll need to get the T-Mobile version though.

If T-Mobile will require that the device be purchased directly from them (which would be a poor move, as it devalue them as an alternative to those who might consider switching from another carrier to them having previously purchased it elsewhere), it would seem likely that T-Mobile would convey that information before pre-orders go live on 10/29 from the Play Store so as to avoid a bunch of ticked off existing or potential customers. Of course, that implies common sense, which is often lacking in the big business community, so we'll have to wait and see...

 

[jeromenumbers]

Re: Play Store Version and T-Mobile

I'll be disappointed if it'll only be available from a T-Mo retailer. Will check back for future news!

 

[Jeremy8000]

Re: Play Store Version and T-Mobile

I'll be disappointed if it'll only be available from a T-Mo retailer. Will check back for future news!

If the enabling of WiFi calling on T-Mobile will be restricted to the units they sell, it's not a stretch to infer that they'll have some level of customization/bloat on the devices they deliver. Should that be the case, those changes may interfere with the direct delivery of OTA updates from Google of future OS iterations. I don't expect T-Mobile to levy any such restrictions. It would put an avoidable limitation on their business opportunity as they can instead (if, as they say, the functionality will be delivered via an OTA update) simply roll it out to those IMEI's registered on their network and with active T-Mobile accounts.

 

[RealDogBoy]

Re: Play Store Version and T-Mobile

If the enabling of WiFi calling on T-Mobile will be restricted to the units they sell, it's not a stretch to infer that they'll have some level of customization/bloat on the devices they deliver. Should that be the case, those changes may interfere with the direct delivery of OTA updates from Google of future OS iterations...

I really hope they don't do that.

Lollipop is supposed to have support for WiFi calling built in -- right? But we don't know details until it's actually released.

If I have to get a T-Mo-specific device to get this feature that's a big reason to skip the whole thing. :-\

And that gets back to another thing we don't know about the N6 yet: Will there be just one SKU for all of North America or will it be carrier-specific to some extent?

 

[Jeremy8000]

Re: Play Store Version and T-Mobile

I really hope they don't do that.

Lollipop is supposed to have support for WiFi calling built in -- right? But we don't know details until it's actually released.

If I have to get a T-Mo-specific device to get this feature that's a big reason to skip the whole thing. :-\

And that gets back to another thing we don't know about the N6 yet: Will there be just one SKU for all of North America or will it be carrier-specific to some extent?

If SKU's sold outside of the Play Store are carrier-specific, it would likely both indicate their allowance for carrier-packaged software (bloat) or carrier-locked devices (meaning bootloader would not be (easily) unlockable, that Nexus devices might not receive OS updates directly from Google (bloatware would prevent that), and finally, as a result of those points, that Google has changed their primary purpose in the Nexus line from all being developer-friendly devices to being just another 'regular' competitor in the marketplace. I would be very surprised to see that be the case - and would have to reconsider my current intention to purchase it.