With the sweeping hysteria surrounding the Nexus 5 release, one thing struck us as odd: no mention of Verizon. Once again, the nation’s largest carrier is refusing to carry a Nexus phone. The last one big red supported was the Galaxy Nexus, and users where underwhelmed with the support it received.


Verizon also created a stir when they refused to activate a Nexus 7 tablet a few weeks ago, saying it wasn’t “approved”. While they have very little wiggle room with that argument, the stalemate continues, with the tablet having not been activated yet. It was the latest in a series of snubs VErizon has given Google’s flagship line of devices.

Android chief Sundar Pichai tells The Verge that Verizon will definitely not be getting the Nexus 5, but there are a “set of projects” Google is working on with Verizon. While Pichai wasn’t forthcoming about what this plans were, the song remains the same in regard to Nexus devices. Oddly enough, the nation’s other CDMA carrier, Sprint, will get the Nexus 5. That leaves Verizon entirely to blame for the Nexus 5 issue.

Just what “projects” are in the works remains to be seen, but it could be a bit of double-speak. Motorola has tightened their bond with Verizon by offering the DROID lineup exclusively to Verizon, and Motorola is a Google company. It could just be more Motorola devices, or something altogether abstract. When 2014 comes around, we’ll be sure to keep an ear out for more news.

9 COMMENTS

  1. And just like that all the newfound respect I had for Verizon after it let a bunch of upgrading users keep unlimited data vanishes. Back to hating this company. Keeping unlimited data for two more years was more important than getting the Nexus so I had to pull the trigger when the glitch happened. But you know what I may just sell my Note 3, pay the ETF and use the remainder to buy the Nexus 5.

  2. It’s not really JUST on Verizon, right? They’ve been a big pusher (exclusive) of Motorola Droid products for years now. Motorola, a company now owned by Google. There might be contracts that were agreed upon years ago between Moto and VZW that conflict with Google’s Nexus line of devices. Plus any sales of Nexus devices would detract from Moto sales so Google has incentive not to sell on VZW. I’m not saying it’s true, but we don’t know.

    • Sorry, but I wish it were that simple. It doesn’t operate on the right spectrum of 4G LTE to function on Verizon’s network, and would require intense firmware alterations (which are dangerous) to get the EVDO modem (for Sprint) to function as a 3G modem for Verizon

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