Nextbit cancels plan to create Sprint and Verizon-compatible CDMA Robin smartphone

My electric color Nextbit Robin just arrived today, but unfortunately for Sprint and Verizon Kickstarter backers Nextbit just sent out a letter detailing the cancellation of the CDMA variant.

As with all Kickstarter projects, they are designed to raise money for projects that hopefully end up with a product in backer's hands. I've backed several projects and only one has yet to deliver so far. Thankfully, Nextbit confirmed that they have indeed shipped out all GSM models to Kickstarter backers so they are delivering on their original proposal.

It turns out that making a CDMA variation that works on Sprint and Verizon in the US ended up with projected costs of millions and months, rather than hundreds of thousands of dollars and weeks. The delta between making a CDMA version a reality and the cost to make it happen are too great for Nextbit and the company decided to cancel the plan.

Unlike some other fund raising websites and projects, Nextbit is giving every CDMA back a full and complete refund within the next 48 hours. As a sign of good will, Nextbit is also giving these backers a 25 percent discount code to use in order to purchase a GSM model.