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Want another reason to make the Samsung Galaxy Nexus your next device? How about a lack of creepy tracking software watching your every move? The latest report in the ongoing Carrier IQ fiasco claims that due to heavier involvement from Google, the Nexus line of phones has foregone the inclusion of the controversial software. The same goes for the original XOOM.
With a name like Carrier IQ, one might assume that the software would get loaded onto a device during the carrier customization process, along with other so-called “bloatware” apps. With Google Experience devices such as the XOOM and Nexus skipping such carrier customization in order to provide a more pure Android experience, it sounds like service providers are never given the chance to install the data tracking software.
Why would Google skip Carrier IQ on their own devices but allow it on other officially licensed Android handsets? Most likely for the same reason that the tech giant allows carriers to pre-install apps like Netflix and the Amazon App Store, though the intentions of Carrier IQ are obviously a bit more dubious. If you have a rooted device (Nexus or otherwise), Trevor Eckhart, the man who blew the lid of of Carrier IQ’s secret scheme, has a tool that will run a scan of your system to determine if the software is installed.
[via The Verge]
Remember that the AT&T Galaxy S II (KH7 firmware I believe, whatever stock is) has no CarrierIQ either.
I wonder if this will change with Verizon’s LTE Galaxy Nexus
Nah, Verizon just data mines every atomic structure of your existence in other ways.
I figured as much, just another reason to stick with Nexus devices.
Is CarrierIQ on iPhones too?
go to XDA and test it on your phone (i realize it’s an APK, but people are responding as to which phones they are finding)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=17612559&postcount=110
Yes! See post here:
http://blog.chpwn.com/post/13572216737?fe250de0
What about UK phones/carriers?
My razr doesn’t seem to have it. I checked with that tool. Stock razr no root
Which carriers do this? All? Not cool man
Personally, I don’t consider the Galaxy Nexus as part of the Nexus line of phones. It has carrier bloatware and the hardware is short of top of the line. Samsung has raped our beloved Nexus brand and Google watched it happen. My money is on Verizon putting Carrier IQ on it.
Um….when has a nexus device ever been “top of the line”? The Nexus S was an old processor and pentile. And even the OG Nexus was running low end ram. Nexus is about developing and customization, not purity and high end specs. Also, My Verizon is hardly bloatware….and even if you consider it is, um….its a freakin developers phone…root and remove. Done.
I would like to dispute the claim that the Nexus S wasn’t high end. The Hummingbird is the best single core processor ever made. Incredibly powerful, rivals even a Tegra 2 in graphics processing. However, you are correct about the pentile screen of course.
Also I agree with your statement. The Nexus line was always about development and absolute freedom. Easy root, custom ROMs, no BS from Google or carriers. My Verizon, from what I hear, is a useful app. My iPhone wielding friends download it willingly.
Downloading is one thing. Having it preloaded is another. The other Nexus devices never had any carrier apps preloaded, just ones Google decided to put there. VZW is notorious for loading their phones up with tons of crap, and despite this being a Nexus, I don’t suspect they’ll keep their crap out of it.
Nexus One was a whole different story. Sold unlocked. Of course it came with no bloatware.
Nexus S, that was a success IMO for Google. Making a good phone popular yet retaining its pure roots.
Galaxy Nexus won’t come with the 30+ apps of bloatware most VZW phones come with, seems it comes with 2. Galaxy Nexus also features a native “Freeze” options like TiBu has. So that fixes that issue perfectly. I don’t see why bloatware on the GN is a big deal if it can be disabled…. especially when it’s 2 apps.
The n1 was top of the line in the US when it came out. Name another phone that had better specs on the exact date of the N1’s US release.
I agree with the root method, but My Verizon isn’t the only bloat ware, they’re also loading it up with VZ Navigator and a few others… and that’s all that we’ve had leaked so far. Wait until you get it, i’ll be there’s 30 + apps loaded on it already from VZW, including carrierIQ. But as you say, its supposed to be a dev phone, so it should probably be rooted anyways…
Wow, you must work for Google or Verizon to know that they are loading 30+ apps plus carrier iq. Pull your head out of your ass, the testers have the final product and there are 2 apps, one is my verizon (which is pretty much a must have unless you don’t care about overages) and vz backup (which they really could do without because google backs everything up). There is no vz navigator and verizon has posted they there is no, and will be no carrier iq loaded onto ANY verizon device. Now whether they have there own could be something else, but doubtful. Still go back to who cares how much bloat they put on because if you buy a nexus you are going to root it the minute you take it home. So you just delete the apks then. As for the n1, not sure because it released on a carrier that had like 5 people on it and it was an htc so garbage build quality…
Straight from Carrier IQ’s website: Based on Carrier IQ’s leading Mobile Service Intelligence technology, IQ Insight Experience Manager uses data directly from the mobile phone itself to give a precise view of how users interact with both their phones and the services delivered through them, even if the phone is not communicating with the network.
Identify exactly how your customers interact with services and which ones they use. See which content they consume, even offline. Identify problems in service delivery, including the inability to connect to the service at all.
I don’t want them to know how I use my device, what apps I use and for how long, it’s none of their damn business. With no option to opt out of this data collection, I can’t see how this is even remotely legal. I hope these assholes are sitting before congress in the very near future.
This is exactly 1 of the ways how the carriers are getting info on who is rooting then abusing their unlimited data with hotspot hacks. If you root and dont know enough to eliminate this garbage then this is how they know. This carrier iq crap is just fairly new probably a year or a lil more into use. and the sweeping changes in policy at the carriers for unlimited data is probably a approaching a year anyway. Sprint is just hopping on changing policy on mobile hotspot usage. just 15months ago i was running data out the wazoo then all of a sudden last year I see this IQ thing pop up on roms till developers started realizing this is just another program to track and began eliminating it.
I currently have a verizon facinate and it has some other program call “LogProvider” that’s got a list of permissions longer than my arm. Can’t kill it either. Wonder what it’s showing my carrier. I’m willing to bet that Carrier IQ isn’t the only one doing this.
Also, before you ask, it’s my work phone and I can’t root it. My personal phones have all been rooted.