There's been quite a stir caused in the past few days about a mysterious volume bug which surfaced on the Galaxy Nexus. The bug began drawing attention over at XDA's forums, where several users reported ostensibly random muting, and erratic response from the Nexus' volume rocker.

It was quickly discovered that the issue seemed to have something to do with the use of 2G signal, specifically the use of a 900 MHz frequency used by many European carriers. The bug could also be replicated using other phones situated near the Galaxy Nexus, leading to concerns that perhaps the bug was hardware-related. The issue also gained attention at Google's bug tracker site for Android, perhaps prompting Google's swift response.

After reaching out to Android PR, we got a promising response:

We are aware of the volume issue and have developed a fix. We will update devices as soon as possible.

There's no word yet on when the fix will be available, but it's good to know that the issue is not hardware-related, and that Google has already been working on a patch.

With a fix on the way and no need for recall or hardware fixes, there's relatively little for Galaxy Nexus users to worry about, as long as they can bear the frustration of erratic volume controls, or avoid using 900 MHz 2G signal until the update officially rolls out.

Update: Slashgear reports that Samsung has halted shipments of the Galaxy Nexus to retailers, and stock will not start rolling again until the volume issue is resolved. Samsung also acknowledged the issue on Twitter, echoing Google's statement verbatim.

The fact that Samsung has halted shipments tells me that perhaps the manufacturer wants to wait and make sure the issue can be fully resolved via software update, meaning there's an ever so slight possibility that a hardware fix may be necessary (especially considering reports of the bug being replicated in bootloader mode). It looks like this story is still developing, so we'll be sure to keep reporting on details as they roll in.

Update 2: Dan Morrill, a noted Android engineer, has not only confirmed once and for all that the volume bug can be fixed by a software update, but also linked to a rather eloquent explanation, courtesy of Google+ member Lee Johnston.

Lee explains that the problem is hardware-related only in that the interference is coming through the radio hardware. That being said, the problem can easily be fixed by adjusting something called debounce, a software function which essentially interprets the "flutter" caused by pressing a button (or likewise interference) as either a fluke or a legitimate input, based on duration of the "press." Upping the Nexus' volume rocker debounce threshold to the average button-tap range of 100-200ms should fix the problem, and Morrill hints that this is exactly what Google plans on doing. You can view Morrill's post on Google+ here.

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