Nextbit faced a slight shipping delay with the Robin earlier this year, but for the most part was the rare Kickstarter success story. However, they have announced that they are canceling the CDMA version of their phone. At fault is the slow and pricey carrier approval process that would have meant further delays.
In their original Kickstarter campaign, Nextbit only set out to make a GSM version of the Robin. Early pre-order success caused them to create a CDMA version that was to launch at the same time. GSM models began shipping last month, while CDMA models were delayed until April.
Despite their previous experience in the smartphone industry, Nextbit underestimated the cost and time of Verizon’s approval process. Instead of costing hundreds of thousands, it would have ended up costing millions and the company was nowhere near finished.
To make it up to their customers, Nextbit is refunding all CDMA Kickstarter orders and any accessories purchased. Additionally, those who choose to purchase a GSM version will get a 25% discount. As of yesterday, Robin has shipped all pre-orders, with website purchases shipping this week.
The Robin uses a Snapdragon 808 processor and has 3GB of RAM. It features a 5.2-inch 1080p IPS display with a Gorilla Glass 4 screen. Other specs include a 13MP rear and 5MP front facing camera, 2,680mAh battery with fast charging, dual front facing stereo speakers, and a fingerprint sensor. At $399, it comes with 32GB of internal storage and 100GB in a cloud locker.
Hooray! We’ve shipped all Kickstarter & pre-order Robins (w/ a few exceptions). Website orders will ship this week! pic.twitter.com/bC6JBG6Sue
— Nextbit (@nextbitsys) March 16, 2016
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