So your Sprint branded Samsung GALAXY Nexus has been bricked. What can you do? Where do you turn to? One place you might want to go is the Factory Images page of Android Developers. A Factory Image is a file that allows users to re-install the firmware on their phone as though it just came right out of the factory with that new smartphone smell. While the Samsung GALAXY Nexus has been around for a while with the Sprint brand, this is the first FI that it has had and covers Android 4.1.1. Once the new updates come out, like Android 4.1.2 and Android 4.2, you can expect Factory Images for those builds as well.
To use the Factory Image, you will need the fastboot tool found in the Android SDK. Hopefully, you will never have to use the files, but if you do need them, it will restore the phone to factory settings including all radios, and the bootloader. Speaking of the bootloader, it must be unlocked when you are loading the Factory Image onto your phone. Once it is loaded, you need to lock the bootloader immediately.
Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
Recommended Stories
Loading Comments...
COMMENT
All comments need to comply with our
Community Guidelines
Phonearena comments rules
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it
is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some
random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Off-topic talk - you must stick to the subject of discussion
Offensive, hate speech - if you want to say something, say it politely
Spam/Advertisements - these posts are deleted
Multiple accounts - one person can have only one account
Impersonations and offensive nicknames - these accounts get banned
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a
post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please,
contact us.
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed: