Nextbit Robin for CDMA networks gets delayed

Nextbit on Friday announced the CDMA version of its upcoming Robin smartphone is being delayed. The company originally promised a February release, but is now targeting a launch sometime in April, though it doesn’t sound as though the company is 100 percent confident about that timeframe. The GSM version is still on target for a mid-February launch.

Unfortunately, the CDMA version became a victim of Nextbit’s over-excitement following the launch of its Kickstarter last year. The company said a CDMA Robin wasn’t originally in the cards, but following fan demand, Nextbit decided it would make one.

“We got a little carried away in the excitement of the campaign,” Nextbit explained. “When we estimated we would deliver CDMA Robin in February, we were being optimistic. Now that we’ve gone through development and are working out the testing schedule, we think April is more realistic.”

Nextbit added that there are still factors out of the company’s control that will determine when the device becomes available, which is why it won’t give a specific date. Receiving certification to operate a device on Verizon and Sprint is notoriously difficult, which is likely why the CDMA Robin is being delayed by a few months.

The delay isn’t all bad. When the Robin launches for GSM networks next month, it will no doubt have some first-gen jitters, which will hopefully be ironed out by the time the CDMA version launches.

Check out our hands on of the Nextbit Robin below.