The original rom for the GSM model was released by Google. This is in case you tinker and want to go back to the original load-out from the factory. That we know. Good? Good. Google didn't officially state this but they did quietly come forward (a couple of blogs noted it, i think the verge was one) that when Verizon officially Officially release the LTE nexus they will release the original shipping rom for that model. ALSO of note i believe this is why the LTE models are not yet updated, because Google is going to do that, 'in 20 minutes push of a new OTA update' on the day Verizon officially release the phone. That would make sense why the gsm model is more up to date than the LTE and the people who scored an LTE model haven't yet got the update 'in 20 min of activation' that was in the guides the VZW stores received.
Expanding on your post a bit:
Updates will come from Google, and then they will be tested by Verizon. Google will then release the update to the handsets. Samsung is not involved in the equation. In most cases, the Verizon "testing" process only takes a week or two at tops, and they are only looking to see that the update doesn't break network functionality.
This is not any different than any other subsidized Nexus device ever made. When you bought the T-Mobile subsidized Nexus One, T-Mobile played a part in testing updates, and you can find lines of code by T-Mobile in the source code. When you buy the subsided Nexus S on AT&T, same thing applies: Google sends the update to AT&T for testing network functionality, and after a period of testing by them, Google sends out the update. If you look at the coding of the ATT Nexus S, you will see network optimization code from AT&T. Verizon will play a similar role here.
And I'll say this just in case, in the future, anyone decides to freak out: If the GSM model receives an update and the LTE version does not, there is no need to be concerned. One model might need an update that the other does not, at some point in time. For example, the Sprint Nexus S 4G is on 2.3.7 right now, while the rest of the GSM models are on 2.3.6. The GSM models simply did not need the 2.3.7 update.
For further evidence that the LTE version will get updates direct from Google, look up the Google Groups discussion with JBQ, a software engineer who works on the AOSP. He stated that the GSM model's codename is Maguro, and the LTE verison is Toro. After some further explanation of the different device builds, he goes on to say that Google will "probably" support Toro in the AOSP branch as well, and the reason it is not there right now is because the device has not been released yet. Now, you can take that to mean different things, but he is known to give good, credible information, worded in a way that won't get himself or anyone else into any trouble. So, if he is correct, which I believe he is, we will see three branches of the Galaxy Nexus platform: TUNA, which is the main branch that has all of the code that is similar to both devices, MAGURO, the GSM version, and TORO the LTE version. The latter two will be sub-branches under TUNA (this is how it is now actually, Maguro is a sub-branch of code under Tuna, and we are just waiting for the LTE version to be released before the Toro sub-branch is added)
One more thing to factor in: Look at all of the screenshots so far of the LTE version's build numbers. It is EXACTLY the same right now as the GSM model (ITL41D). This bodes well for anyone concerned that the firmware isn't being written by Google.
BTW, that XDA article reads more like a hit piece, with all sorts of sensationalized nonsense. I call hogwash on it.
