Surprise — Carrier IQ is Carrier-Mandated ⇥

Nilay Patel:

[T]he Google Nexus One, Nexus S, Galaxy Nexus, and the original Xoom tablet do not contain Carrier IQ software. Each of those devices was launched in direct partnership with Google as the flagship for a new version of Android, so it seems that the addition of Carrier IQ comes from OEMs and carriers after Google open-sources Android’s code. Carriers requiring manufacturers to include Carrier IQ would also explain why references to the software have been found in iOS