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Samsung Galaxy Nexus owners have flooded to the Internet to complain of software glitches affecting the new Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone that went on sale in the UK on 17 November.
The biggest complaint reported on the xda-developers forum appears to be something that is being branded SAV-Ghost, or Self Aware Volume Ghost if you prefer the full title.
According to users, some of which have contacted Pocket-lint with the issue, the new Google Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich-powered handset starts to turn the volume down on its own - as if being controlled by a ghost - without warning or intervention.
"This morning the volume went down on its down. I actually saw the volume bar appear and decrease, as if I was pushing down on the rocker. It happened twice. Both times I was hammering the phone so perhaps it's related to RAM? The first time I was moving six 400mb avi files from one folder to another using a file manager app, and listening to MP3s at the same time," posted user Jonnyguitar.
"Has anyone had the SAV ghost (I like that nickname!) play with their volume mid call and refuse to let you turn it up again? It turns the volume right down, not off, but enough to be irritating!" said her0n on the forum.
There doesn’t appear to be a fix for the problem at the moment, nor do we know if it is hardware or software based.
Other software issues reported by users on Twitter and forums around the web is a lack of Flash support for playing videos.
Google has confirmed that the device currently doesn’t offer Flash support. In a statement to SlashGear.com it said: "Flash hasn’t been released for ICS yet so as far as we know, Adobe will support Flash for ICS."
Google says that is normal and that Flash support will only come once Adobe makes the call to update the mobile version for Android 4.0.
Adobe Flash isn’t the only app new Galaxy Nexus users are reporting missing from the Android Market. UK users (it is only on sale in the UK at the moment) are complaining they can’t install the BBC iPlayer app as it isn’t showing in the Android Market either.
The lack of the BBC iPlayer app is more than likely because the BBC, like Adobe, hasn’t yet approved its application for ICS, rather than something else however.
The software issues come after the first owner of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus was given a developer model, instead of a full retail version by mistake.
“I'm the world's first Nexus owner but unfortunately my phone doesn't work properly. I can't sign into my gmail account and no Google apps of any kind appear, not even the Market,” Alex Ioannou told Pocket-lint. “There seems to be a lot of developer tools on the phone though, one of which has the option to report a WTF condition!  Help!”
At the time we believed that it was a one-off problem. However, others have contacted Pocket-lint as well, suggesting there may be a bigger issue.
Phones 4U, the exclusive retail partner in the UK, told us:
"Our customer service and repair departments have so far received no complaints regarding any software issues on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus handsets they've purchased, and with the exception of one customer in our Oxford Street store yesterday, we've not been made aware of any software issues with the device. However, we would obviously advise anyone who does encounter a problem with their handset to get in touch with us as soon as possible and we will look into this immediately."
That’s good news, although the software bugs could go some way to explain why the phone has yet to go on sale at Vodafone.
A spokesman for the company told Pocket-lint:
"We're continuing to test the Galaxy Nexus software to ensure our customers get the best possible experience of the device. We'll provide concrete details on availability once the testing process has been successfully completed."
This suggests that the network could be aware of software issues and is making sure any problems are fixed before putting the phone on sale. Our Vodafone source wouldn’t expand further.
O2, who is also selling the Samsung Galaxy Nexus in the UK, told us that, like Phones 4U, it hasn’t received any complaints about the phone's software.
Have you bought the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus and are now having problems? Let us know in the comments below or via our Feedback form...
via:pocket-lint