After the recent availability of the Android 4.3 to some of the flagships like the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S4, Google seems to have a real treat for everyone as these devices are soon getting the KitKat taste of the Android OS.
With the launch of the much leaked Nexus 5, it is the first device to feature the latest Android OS. The device is now available on Google Play in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan and Korea (and coming soon to India), starting at $349. The device is priced at 28999 INR for 16 GB variant.
In some part of the press release issued with the launch it notes:
Android 4.4, KitKat, which comes on Nexus 5, will also soon be available on Nexus 4, 7, 10, the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One Google Play edition devices in the coming weeks.
Whereas, HTC says that the HTC One Google Play edition will be update in 15 days, and the standard HTC One will be updated within 90 days.
In what will undoubtedly be seen as a way to clear inventory before the inevitable launch of a successor, Google has lowered the price of the Nexus 4 to an astounding $199 (Rs. 13,400) and $249 (Rs.16,750).
Reaching that hallowed $199 price point is an incredible feat for Google, since it has yet to penetrate the mainstream market with its Nexus line. These prices will no doubt send other OEMs scrambling to do the same before the holiday season, as this is clearly the best deal for a high-end smartphone.
Regardless of the reason, this is an amazing deal for anyone looking at a new smartphone. With a quad-core processor, a 720p display, 2GB of RAM, a 2100mAh battery, an 8MP camera and the very latest version of stock Android, the Nexus 4 is a great device at any price. This just makes it better.
However, this price drop seems targeted for the US region, as there has been no news whether we will see the prices of the Nexus 4 in India reduced to match their US counterparts. At present, the 16GB Nexus 4 is priced at about Rs 25,990 in the Indian market.
Even with the outrageous condition of the Rupee at the moment, ordering a Nexus 4 from the US seems like a far better option than buying one from here.
Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Nexus 4, a smartphone that launched last year was speculated to arrive India soon after its global availability. The Nexus 4’s rumored launch dates for India got shunned, and prospective owners dealt with a lot of delay before the phone finally launched. LG brought the Nexus 4 to India under the assumption that the Indian people still wanted it. Was the company right ? Does the Nexus 4 bring about a world of difference in the way one looks at Android ? Lets find out!
Nexus
[pullquote_left]The Way Google Intended[/pullquote_left]A line of Mobile devices manufactured by an OEM brand selected by Google to lead into the area of expertise and build the Android flagship for that particular year. Apart from the lack of any form of software or network customizations or restrictions, they also have unlock-able bootloaders and are the first devices to receive instant Android Operating System updates.
In most cases Nexus units are responsibility of Google, sales in a particular country are pushed by Google and availability is also based on Google’s interest to bring forth the device. In India however, the only Nexus phone to have been made available prior to the Nexus 4 was the Nexus S. Just as the Nexus 4 was ignored in India initially, the Galaxy Nexus was not launched at all, despite huge demand for the successful handset.
LG decided to bring the Nexus 4 on their own accord, thanks to high public interest. Initially plans to bring in the Nexus 4 were sacked as the company thought it was not going to do well enough. The first few lots of Nexus 4 handsets also faced manufacturing issues, keeping the Nexus 4 virtually sold out, due to limited supplies.
Build Quality, Design and Hardware
There is no question that the initial look at the design reminds us of the iPhone 4/4s with a glass front and a glass back fused on either sides of a solid shell. The difference here is that LG has actually rounded the device out a lot, the front blends into the solid plastic bezel which then flattens out into a glass back.
Problems with the Nexus 4’s back glass cracking in the heat have been aplenty and still exist. But, some are fortunate enough to not have that issue, the problem however persists. If the Nexus 4 is left in the sun, or put through intensive activities that cause the device to heat up, the glass back around the camera lens develops hairline cracks.
Apart from the cracking issues, the Nexus 4 is noticeably well built and definitely has a very premium design factor. The dotted, glittery back glass makes the device shimmer in the slightest gleam of any light, almost making the Nexus 4 appeal to a artsy tingle in the brain. Somewhat making you feel the sense of passion towards a mere black piece of Android Jelly Bean hardware.
Speaking of hardware, the Nexus 4 has just the right amount to justify the price unlike some seriously strange mistakes for India. Powered by a 2100 mAh Li-Po battery the Nexus 4 runs a Quad Core Snapdragon S4 Pro Krait processor clocking in 1.5 GHz of raw unadulterated silicone hum. The impressive Adreno 320 GPU ensures graphics performance along with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of fixed – non expandable storage for the Nexus 4. Google however ensures that each Android user now gets 15 gigs of cloud storage, incase you would like to consider that as a value addition.
The front of the Nexus 4 has a brilliant LG display, True HD IPS Plus capacitive touchscreen with a 768 x 1280 px resolution clocking in a good 318 ppi. The addition of Gorilla Glass 2 on the front as well as the back give the phone strength, the unibody shell adds reinforcement. The back has a 8 Megapixel camera which is said to be quite terrible, we found otherwise (see below), the camera also does 1080p video at 30 fps. The front carries a 1.3 MP camera, only as good as it gets, capable of shoddy imagery and video.
Un-Salted Beans
(Stock Android Experience)
The fact that the Nexus 4 runs a stock version of Android actually has a lot of people in turmoil, we hope we can clarify some doubts. The Nexus 4, infact any Nexus phone, runs a stock unadulterated un-skinned version of Android out of the box. That means no – task manager, no floating weather animations and definitely no fancy dual picture camera shots. But the key word here is essentially “out of the box”, the Nexus 4 also give you, on the other hand, the maximum flexibility with the Android operating system. An unlock-able bootloader means the minute you get hold of the Nexus 4, you can root it and get developing.
[pullquote_left]Felxibilty with the Interface[/pullquote_left]The ability to use custom ROMs and skins is then endless, install widgets and apps from select manufacturers or even add your own custom UI, this is what truly makes the Nexus 4 experience fun. However the customization and open-ness is not for everyone. Some people want fancy UI’s out of the box. Pick up a Galaxy S3 and you have things like multi-window and fancy multi layer User interface, but with the Nexus 4 you have a bland boring flat UI from the get go.
Dashboard
Dialer
Keyboard
Browser
Camera Settings
Quick Toggles
About Screen
Camera Options
Photosphere
A first few days of the custom UI aside, you soon start playing with the Android open-ness and start trying to modify the phone to do interesting things. Splashing different user interfaces or even different launchers, different ROMs each day. It’s a time-consuming process, but on that makes you truly appreciate Android. As with each customization you find out another thing your phone is capable of.
Some on the other hand will love the vanilla experience, the way Google intended for Android to be, fast and snappy and completely flat.
Camera, Multimedia and Gaming
The camera on the Nexus 4 has been critiqued heavily for not being close to expectations set by Google. With the latest Android 4.2.2 update from Google we found that the camera sensor although not the best, is quite good. Images are almost always in focus, well composed, rightly saturated and for those who stick to auto easily captured. A lot of flexibility is available on the Nexus 4 for the camera. Check the sample below.
[pullquote_left]Washed out, But only in Comparison![/pullquote_left]When put in comparison to the Optimus G the Screen of the Nexus 4 appears to be washed out. The Optimus G’s display is a lot more deep and vibrant, whereas the Nexus 4 appears to be a little less effective. Many argue that the Galaxy S3 available at a similar price has a display which is a lot more appreciated. However, the Nexus 4 has a well-balanced display that not only works indoors it works great outdoors as well. Problems arise when you start comparing individual aspects of the display with other devices. The Nexus 4 is a great device for multimedia, audio is loud and crisp from the speaker and well handled during video playback. Whether you like online or offline multimedia the Nexus 4 can deliver a great performance.
Gaming is also well handled by the Nexus 4, the Adreno 320 is one of the most celebrated GPU of today’s hardware market. With the Nexus 4 you will see most games supported out of the box, incase you wish to download unsupported ones, you can do that by a simple root. The ample amount of graphics power and sufficient RAM make the hardware quite capable of gaming, in fact the only real problem gamers would end up facing with the Nexus 4 is the limited storage.
Performance, Phone and Networks
The Nexus 4, although launched last year, at current price is capable of dethroning most celebrated handsets. The pure OS experience not only gets quicker updates, but is a way to truly experience Android in its full potential as a smooth user interface. Apart from being the easiest day-to-day phone, users will realize soon that the Nexus 4 is capable of deep levels of multitasking, and expertly handled process distribution thanks to the great processing brain on the inside of the Nexus 4.
Mostly the performance of the Nexus 4 becomes evident in the initial uses, however for those who truly like to exploit the handset. The ability to root and install an overclocked kernel will speed up the performance. The most recent version allows up to 1.944 GHz on the 4 cores – Wow!
The phone call quality and networks remain excellent, ensuring good usage of the handset’s primary function; calling. Network quality remains pristine even during commutes and the callers are audible pretty nicely through the earpiece.
Battery Life
Battery life is sufficient out of the box on the Nexus 4, if you do a lot of gaming you might want to underclock and undervolt your Nexus 4 to get an additional 90 minutes of on-screen time. Running stock though you get a good mix of battery life through a day – 5-6 hours of talk time, an hour of browsing, half hour of gaming and few hours of music can also be included.
3G ON
Pure Talk time : 7 Hours
Pure Standby : 48 Hours Pure Gaming : 3.5 Hours Pure Online : 6 hours Pure Music 8 – 10 hours[/tab]
3G OFF
Pure Talk time : 8.5 Hours Pure Standby : 54 Hours Pure Gaming : 4 Hours Pure Online : 7 hours (wi-fi) Pure Music 8-10 hours[/tab]
Verdict
[pullquote_left]Your Playground[/pullquote_left]Although a little late, the Nexus 4 has launched in India at an excellent price mark, lower than similar hardware equipped handsets, yet the first one to get updates. The Nexus 4 is also the most flexible hardware and a pretty premium looking handset. However, The Nexus 4 does lack the basic microSD expansion, possesses a sub par camera module, and somewhat cheeky display in comparison to its brother the Optimus G. That being said, if you want to experience Android, the way it was intended to be, then the Nexus 4 is your playground and Android is your sport. Even if that is not the case the Nexus 4 will satisfy!
Leading up to Google’s I/O event, there were a lot of rumors indicating that we would see the unveiling of Android version 4.3 rather than 5.0. However, during the keynote, Google ended up not addressing a new version of Android at all. Instead, they chose to focus on updating individual apps and APIs separate from the operating system.
Today we get a first-hand look at the software in action, with a number of images appearing to show Android 4.3 running on a Nexus 4. The image was taken at the Thailand Mobile Expo and posted on the XDA Developers forum.
We clearly see Android 4.3 Jelly Bean as the OS, with a build date being May 14th, so it’s a pretty new updated version. Then the build number is listed as JWR45B.
The other pictures show the camera in action – with a slightly modified interface – and a screen of just the Jelly Bean Easter Egg that can be found in the About section too.
The camera interface seems to include a new see-through action area, complete with a new activation ring and fresh icons for HDR, contrast, and rotation.
The images don’t seem to show any significant changes, so the possibility remains that Google didn’t show their latest version of Android perhaps because there isn’t much to show in the first place. They could be saving the bigger changes for a major 5.0 update rather than another incremental version update.
Is what we heard about a June launch, alongside the white Nexus 4 accurate?
It looks like LG could be the latest device maker Google is contracting for the next flagship Nexus smartphone.
In an interview with the Korea Times, LG CEO Koo Bon-joon said he met up with Google boss Larry Page, where the two “discussed ways to improve their business partnership”.
Although the Korea Times concedes that native LG is lagging behind Samsung in the smartphone stakes, it later mentions that it is currently working with Google to make the next stock Android smartphone.
The Korean newspaper reported that LG has agreed to work on Google’s next Nexus device, relying on Google to boost its smartphone business. It said the smartphone is likely to launch as the Google Nexus 5, suggesting that it will have a 5in screen. It’s also likely to run Google’s upcoming Android 4.3 mobile operating system and feature a dirt cheap price tag.
About once per year, Google debuts a new smartphone that is meant to be a test bed for its Android operating system. The Nexus line of smartphones run a clean version of Android, meaning there are no manufacturer or carrier applications on board. The stock version of Android appears as Google wants it to on Nexus phones.
HTC made the first Nexus smartphone, the Nexus 1, and Samsung made the following two, the Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus. The Nexus 4 is the first such device made by LG.
The original article doesn’t go into any details of what the new device phone might look like, and the earliest official indication we’re likely to get will be around Google I/O in a couple of weeks.
We were supposed to get a reveal of the LG Nexus 4 today, but thanks to the threat of Hurricane Sandy, that won’t be happening. Fortunately, the delay of Google’s Android event leaves more time for leaks, and today we’ve got a pretty big one to share with you. The folks over at Swedroid have posted an intriguing new video that not only gives us a look at the sleek Nexus 4, but also shows it running Android 4.2.
The device looks exactly like the pictures we’ve already seen, but the silver bezel seems to more prominent that I first thought. The new ‘pure Android’ runs OS 4.2 and the video length is 1:47. No word from Google on when the official launch date will be. Check it out below.
The Nexus leak factory has been relentlessly churning its goods in the past weeks, and it doesn’t look like there’s any sign of slowing down. Two days ago the world got their hands on the Nexus 10 tablet manual early, now the Nexus 4 too has its “Quick Start” booklet revealed ahead of its introduction.
LG UK uploaded the LGE960 “Quick Start Guide” for the Nexus 4 and have also reveals that the pure Android will come in both an 8GB and 16GB models.
The only other bit of news is that the manual confirms the device will have wireless charging capabilities: “If you use a wireless charger, you must use an approved model and only as direct- ed. The Nexus 4 travel adapter may not generate enough current to power a wireless charger.”
Although Google’s Android event will be held on Monday, don’t discount the possibility of seeing more leaks — if there’s still any left.
Nexus 4 cant leak enough it seems, as after the LG India fiasco, the phone has appeared on UK phone retailer Carphone Warehouses website. The Nexus 4 is up for pre-order on the website and will be available Oct 30th according to the site. The Website has also listed the following specs and supposer 4.2 version of Jelly bean.
Specifications
4.7-inch 1,280 x 768 display
Snapdragon S4 processor
8+ megapixel camera
8GB of storage
no microSD card slot
“gesture typing”
No Sim Free price Listed
Free on Contract
The phone was earlier leaked online, and then mentioned to being launched in India next month by LG India. We should get a lot more information in the coming week when Google announces the phone officially.
According to rumors Google “has been distributing a video recorded at one of its weekly all-hands “TGIF” meetings on its internal network” to present the new products coming in just over a week: the Samsung Nexus 4, LG Nexus 4, and the new Asus Nexus 7 (32GB Wi-Fi version and 32GB 3G + Wi-Fi model), all running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. Looks like the Key Lime Pie versions will come out in the early 2013 event.
Nexus 4
Several sources including TheNextWeb have stated that LG will make the SmartPhone which will feature a quad-core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm APQ8064 Snapdragon processor, 4.7-inch 1280 x 768 display, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera (and 1.3-megapixel front-facing snapper) and a 2100mAh battery.
Nexus 7
The new variant of the tablet is supposedly going to come with not only a 32 GB capacity but also a 3G modem built in, expect a nano sim card slot. Asus will continue to make the Nexus 7 and the new variant will supposedly feature a newer chipset which is more battery efficient.
Nexus 10
Here is the big news after the positive success of the Google Nexus 7, Google will launch a new Nexus 10 tablet. The device will feature a 10-inch display with 2560 x 1600 resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio and 300 pixel per inch (PPI) density. It is also believed that Samsung will be the manufacturer of the said tablet and the Nexus 10 will also run the new Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.
Google’s October 29th event also will hold host to launch of several other products making it a total of 5 Nexus launches on the Day. The Google Nexus launch date of Oct 29th also co-incides will Microsoft’s Windows 8 and Phone 8 launch that will take place on the very same day.
