Instead of getting ICS, I am getting 2.3.6 on my Nexus S

**redflag** · 03-05-2012, 11:05 PM

Does this mean ICS is not coming soon?

**migo** · 03-06-2012, 04:53 AM

Probably. Android is a mess in that regard.

Sent from my Lumia 710 via the HowardForums WP7 App

**jon.01** · 03-06-2012, 06:42 AM

Aren't OTA updates carrier dependent? If they are then this means that Mobilicity has received the 2.3.6 update from Google and has TESTED it for use on their phones.

Just because 4.0 ICS is out doesn't mean Mobilicity is releasing at the same time, let alone testing it. If you want ICS now, get the custom ROM.

**heccubus** · 03-06-2012, 07:55 AM

You getting the 2.3.6 update just means that your phone shipped with an earlier version of Android.

Mobi along with a bunch of other carriers did push out ICS to the NS for a short time late 2011 but then pulled it because of some user's complaints of crappy battery life with the upgrade.

I downloaded an official version of 4.0.3 for my NS as soon as it became available in Nov. and the upgrade process was totally painless even for a noob. No need for rooting or backups-still completely stock.

Just do a search in this forum for a link to the download zip file(on XDA Developers) and instructions but just make absolutely sure you get the right file for your version of the NS as there's a number of variants on the device.

I haven't had any of the reported battery life issues but do be aware that MMS over g3 is broken and I have had significant(annoying) home screen lag and the occasional lag opening my app drawer.

The latest news is there's an ota 4.0.5 coming this month.

Sent from my Nexus S running 4.0.3

**gun26** · 03-06-2012, 08:41 AM

@redflag,
In my opinion, ICS is a dramatic improvement on my Nexus S. My phone is rooted, but even if yours isn't, you don't have to keep waiting for the OTA update to ICS to be pushed to you. You can download and install it yourself on your non-rooted NS. Here's how: http://www.addictivetips.com/mobile/...us-s-download/

**xtachx** · 03-06-2012, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by arclite

Aren't OTA updates carrier dependent? If they are then this means that Mobilicity has received the 2.3.6 update from Google and has TESTED it for use on their phones.

Just because 4.0 ICS is out doesn't mean Mobilicity is releasing at the same time, let alone testing it. If you want ICS now, get the custom ROM.

Not the nexus line of phones

Sent from my Nexus One using HowardForums

**live_strong** · 03-06-2012, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by xtachx

Not the nexus line of phones

Sent from my Nexus One using HowardForums

My understanding is the updates for some Galaxy Nexus devices are carrier dependant.

**computergeek541** · 03-06-2012, 12:54 PM

I can't tell you if Google actively seeks approval from the carriers themselves but I can tell you for certain that updates are released in stages with updates that are specific to different carriers. The Videotron Nexus One, for example, received the Gingerbread update several months after Nexus One versions from other companies, including those from other AWS carriers. Even among phones of the same model within the Nexus series, phones from different carriers do sometimes even have different ROM versions installed, which is evident by the fact that even some Nexus series devices only have access points programmed in for the home network of the company it was sold by. Nexus One, Nexus S, and Nexus Galaxy devices can have different identifier strings for different carriers coded into the ROM and the updates for phones from each carrier can and do sometimes get released at drastically different times.

**Mr Mystery** · 03-06-2012, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by live_strong

My understanding is the updates for some Galaxy Nexus devices are carrier dependant.

Yep, "Region dependant" firmware is what I think the official term is. Google sold out with the latest Nexus in many ways.

**xtachx** · 03-06-2012, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by live_strong

My understanding is the updates for some Galaxy Nexus devices are carrier dependant.

No, there are 5 known galaxy nexuses depending on region.

One of them has a software version called "yakju" which is maintained by google directly. the other 4, with software versions: yakjuux, yakjuxw, (2 others I forgot) are updated by samsung.

You can change the software version to the google one very easily.

**live_strong** · 03-06-2012, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by xtachx

No, there are 5 known galaxy nexuses depending on region.

One of them has a software version called "yakju" which is maintained by google directly. the other 4, with software versions: yakjuux, yakjuxw, (2 others I forgot) are updated by samsung.

You can change the software version to the google one very easily.

But by default the updates for those other versions do not come from Google directly.

**d_pang** · 03-06-2012, 03:32 PM

You probably won't get an ota notification any time soon, what you have to do then is to push the update to your phone. This was posted on Android Central a while ago back in December and I have been using ics since.

Sent from my Nexus S using HowardForums

**redflag** · 03-06-2012, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by gun26

@redflag,
In my opinion, ICS is a dramatic improvement on my Nexus S. My phone is rooted, but even if yours isn't, you don't have to keep waiting for the OTA update to ICS to be pushed to you. You can download and install it yourself on your non-rooted NS. Here's how: http://www.addictivetips.com/mobile/...us-s-download/

Thank you gun26. I have been waiting for a while, hoping that the ICS will be re-released after the bug fix. But I am now tempted to give this manual update a try.

2 silly questions:
1) how to back up the apps? Guess there is a better way than remember the names and reinstall them again? Or will this update won't actually affect my apps at all?
2) if in any case this does not work properly for me, is it easy for me to reset my photo's os to 2.3.4/2.3.6?

**heccubus** · 03-06-2012, 04:59 PM

@redflag

No backups necessary. It's pretty straightforward and safe even for a noob like me. The whole thing will take like 20 minutes.

Just follow the instructions carefully and make sure you have the right file for your phone and you're golden.

Sent from my Nexus S

**redflag** · 03-06-2012, 07:39 PM

Thanks. Just upgraded to ICS. Now need to see if everything is working for me.

Originally Posted by heccubus

@redflag

No backups necessary. It's pretty straightforward and safe even for a noob like me. The whole thing will take like 20 minutes.

Just follow the instructions carefully and make sure you have the right file for your phone and you're golden.

Sent from my Nexus S