Verizon Galaxy Nexus Android update appears imminent

After waiting a few months, Verizon customers who own a Galaxy Nexus LTE smartphone should soon see their phones get updated to from Android 4.0.2 to 4.0.4. The international version of the Galaxy Nexus has enjoyed the newer software for nearly two months as it was pushed out by Google at the end of March. Verizon’s edition of the phone requires additional testing by the carrier; something not required for the GSM model as Google sells and supports it directly.
Enthusiast blog Droid Life spotted a Verizon-authored PDF explaining what some of the software changes and improvements are in Android 4.0.4. This type of document typically appears just prior to the operator pushing out a software update, so the Galaxy Nexus LTE could be updated as early as this week. Here’s what Verizon says is in the coming update:
Email, Messaging & Data

• Email messages will display properly when the text size is set to large.
• When sending a multimedia message to an Outlook email address, the file extension will send, allowing the recipient to successfully open an image.
• Successfully deleted emails on the device will be deleted from the desktop as well.
• Successfully send text messages without experiencing network connectivity issues.

Applications

• When viewing a Calendar reminder or appointment, you will now be able to view the full notes associated with the appointment.
• A down arrow has been added in the Calendar application that will expand the calendar message body, allowing you to view the entire message.

Device Features

• Successfully turn on Wi-Fi using the Power Control widget.
• Updates have been made to prevent the display from freezing or becoming unresponsive.
• Complete calls without experiencing choppy audio, clicking noises and one-way audio noises.
• Successfully access Voicemail and other automated systems without error.

On my own Galaxy Nexus — the GSM version — I’ve also noticed some general Android improvements, the most noticeable being fast screen rotation. When Android 4.0.4 rolled out, Google said the camera performance was improved also, and based on the photos I’ve taken in the past two months, I’d agree. In the future, my hope is that Verizon moves quicker to test and push Android updates. When folks complain to me about the Galaxy Nexus, I ask which model they have and nearly all are speaking of the Verizon model. I generally can’t replicate these issues on my phone because its up to date, which just leads to frustrated Verizon customers.