Nextbit has canceled plans to bring a version of its Robin smartphone to Sprint and Verizon Wireless.
The company cited the slow carrier approval process and ballooning expenses as reasons behind its decision.
“What people at the carriers, in good faith given our need for quick answers, thought would take ‘weeks’ has turned into ‘months’,” explained Nextbit CEO Tom Moss. “What they thought would cost ‘hundreds of thousands of dollars’ has turned into ‘millions’. And we’re still not there.”
The company is refunding those who pre-ordered the CDMA version of the Robin, and is also offering those customers 25% off the GSM version of the Robin should they want it.
The Robin runs Android and proactively offloads apps and files to the cloud in order to conserve storage. It is sold unlocked and works with AT&T and T-Mobile.
