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back to article First in line to order a Nexus 6? AT&T has a BRICK for you

Motorola has issued a recall for an early batch of its hotly anticipated new Nexus 6 smartphones that were sold through US mobile carrier AT&T, owing to a software glitch that can reportedly causes the devices to boot to a black screen. It seems customers who ordered a Nexus 6 before it hit the shelves received devices with …

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  1. Bloodbeastterror

    "Do no evil"...?

    Ok, so they aren't, but this incompetence is really astonishing.

    I''m sure that launching a new product is incredibly difficult, but Google have unquestionably monitored the searches for "Nexus 6" over the past few months (it's their job, for god's sake) and they therefore must have known the interest in the new devices. And still they didn't manufacture enough to satisfy a known demand? And as an experienced software company they get the Nexus 7 software wrong?

    I really didn't want a 6" screen, but, swept along by the hype (yes, I'm shallow), I'd rather like to get one of these devices. As a phone, ludicrously big. As an internet, communications, entertainment device, probably rather good.

    But now I'm bored, as I was with the OnePlus One - stupid incompetent marketing, lack of concrete delivery dates...

    I thought that Google was a professional company. Apparently not.

    0 3 Reply
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "Do no evil"...?

      You really think Google can tell how many searches for "Nexus 6" translates into someone who will definitely buy one? Not to mention that shortages are normal for new devices, because people mostly want it when its new, but it is difficult to arrange manufacturing resources to front load 5x more capacity for a short period before/after release to satisfy the demand peak and then go away when they're not needed later. Delaying release to build up sufficient inventory for a launch where everyone who wants one gets one is also a problem, because it allows for the chance some sales will be lost to the competition, or people will hear rumors about something even better just around the corner.

      But most of all, this whole experience should convince you of the stupidity of building a bunch of devices to have enough to satisfy initial demand. Had Google done that, this recall would have involved a hell of a lot more devices. Sometimes you don't find out about problems until it is too late, and you'd rather not have 5x as many devices to recall (and have to build that many replacement devices, assuming it isn't a 'while you wait' fix)

      1 0 Reply
      1. Bloodbeastterror
        Reply Icon

        Re: "Do no evil"...?

        @ DougS

        Yeah, I'm lazy. Sorry for slow response. :-)

        Yes, I *do* expect Google to translate searches into physical phones. What other company in the entire world has the research and marketing capability that they have? They know with absolute certainty what the hot topic is, how many people, and probably my name and address, plus the dozens/hundreds of times I've searched - I'm guessing that someone only peripherally interested in the N6 wouldn't bother so often...? Yeah, I reckon that even as a casual punter, not a professional sales analyst, I'd look at my profile and say "He'll buy one - get it ready."

        And now, a full month after the supposed launch, I see the 32GB light up for an hour before going to "out of stock", while the (for me) more desirable 64GB version has (for me) *never* been available - this just simply astonishes me. Google's idea of "coming soon" is really radically different from mine - a month isn't "soon" in the tech world, and I'm bored to tears seeing it day after day, to the point that I'm thinking of just sticking with my N5.

        Why they seem incapable of using this months-in-advance hype to plan properly for their supply chain is just literally incredible.

        So I stand by my comment.

        0 0 Reply
    2. Mikel
      Reply Icon

      Re: "Do no evil"...?

      Hey - this is AT&T and Lenovo. No need to call Google out on this one :)

      4 0 Reply
      1. ecofeco Silver badge
        Reply Icon

        Re: "Do no evil"...?

        "Hey - this is AT&T and Lenovo. No need to call Google out on this one :)"

        Exactly. Also note, it's just the ATT product having this problem. So let's put the blame where it rightly belongs. ATT.

        0 0 Reply
    3. NotWorkAdmin
      Reply Icon

      Re: "Do no evil"...?

      I'd expect a little more restraint from a Reg reader. Surely we all KNOW that the first batch out of the factory tends to be buggy. I can't think of many tech companies this isn't true of and I know I never queue up to be "first" because it really means "beta tester who pays for the privilege".

      What confuses me is this being referred to as a software issue. That ought to be fixable without a recall.

      0 1 Reply
  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    But the store display units were not affected......more like infected, sounds like the NSA snooping upgrade isn't installing right.

    0 1 Reply
    1. ThomH
      Reply Icon

      To me it sounded more like AT&T's "value adding" Android customisations may not be functioning correctly; meanwhile the demo units usually run a completely different software configuration full of tutorials and guides.

      3 0 Reply
      1. ecofeco Silver badge
        Reply Icon

        "To me it sounded more like AT&T's "value adding" Android customisations may not be functioning correctly;"

        You can bet on it.

        0 0 Reply
  3. JeffyPoooh
    Pint

    Don't forget that...

    Don't forget that there is other software in a phone besides the obvious OS and apps.

    Just for example, the actual transceiver or "baseband" chip will have it's own software load, quite separate from the OS. And the power control IC probably has a SW load. Even a SIM card is actually a computer.

    I'm waiting for the day when someone will start selling a single PN of SMT resistor that can be programmed, perhaps over NFC, to any value of resistance. When that day comes it would help people to not forget hat there are other software items in a phone besides the obvious OS and apps.

    0 0 Reply
  4. 404
    Black Helicopters

    Freaking NSA...

    I TOLD them the software would conflict with that damn apk!

    why do they even pay me? I swear...

    2 0 Reply
    1. Version 1.0 Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: Freaking NSA...

      It's the perfect secure phone - the screen lights up black to announce that you have a call.

      1 0 Reply

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