But they still did. The "Verizon" Galaxy Nexus was basically a completely different phone from the other Galaxy Nexus versions and didn't get the same support or updates.
Yea that Verizon Nexus was the least Nexus-y of them all. One of the reasons I swore off Verizon for good. But that was 4 years ago and hasn't been an issue with other Nexii since.
It's the same as Nexus phones, carriers did not interfere with them.