First Brand with Snapdragon 800 to US Market

[strausd]

Yeah, it supports TMo's LTE bands. That's not what I was talking about. If they were exactly the same as you claim, where is there no official LTE support for any carrier or more specifically AT&T LTE support that the Optimus G has? Why is there no SD card?

That could be related to the taking out of a certain component which was mentioned on iFixit. But taking out a certain component makes more sense than leaving in a component that will not be used. And tell my why the Nexus 4 unofficially supports any LTE bands when it isn't supposed to if it isn't for a left over chip. Still no evidence to show that there are radically different internal differences compared to the Optimus G.

And a micro SD card slot is reliant on the outer casing.

You have zero evidence to support your case.

There is more evidence to support that they are built on the same logic boards than what you are saying. Yet you say I have no evidence? I guess you don't consider logically thinking to count as evidence. Good to know.

Let me just go back and look at the evidence you have given. Oh wait...

There's a reason why the Nexus 4 is so cheap.

Because its subsidized by Google.
http://gadgetian.com/43941/google-subsidized-price-nexus-4-299-lg-no/
http://www.techclump.com/google-to-subsidize-the-cost-of-the-nexus-4/
http://9to5google.com/2012/11/03/is-google-subsidizing-the-price-of-the-299-lg-nexus-4/

It's a mediocre device that deserves every bit of its price tag.

Ya, quad-core CPU, 2GB RAM, 320 ppi screen, no bloatware, and stock Android with direct updates sure is mediocre. Oh wait...

Poor screen,

The hardware portion of the screen is actually fantastic. Stock calibration is pretty bad though. But all you need is an app to re-calibrate and then the screen is awesome. Go look up the Franco kernel. His app comes with some very nice screen presets. But surely you did your research

poor camera,

Android Authority did a review of the Nexus 4 compared to the Optimus G and has some good things to say about the camera. But since you're the expert, I should just blindly take your opinion

RF performance

I haven't seen this mentioned in any reviews and I personally have not had a problem. But if you say so, it must be true

and battery life.

Battery life really is the only problem with it. But considering it costs less than half that of a GS4, I can manage a little less SOT. Besides, whenever I am working I am on a computer. So having time to charge it isn't a problem. But considering the way you talk to other people, you must be super important and must always be out and about

If it makes you feel better that you spent so little on it, then good for you. For the rest of us, there's a Samsung Galaxy S3 that costs about the same and is a much better device.

Ya, gotta love that pentile display, cheap plastic, and slow dual-core CPU. Then tack all that onto the worst Android skin ever made. Even the Nexus 4 runs stock Android faster than a GS4 runs TouchWiz. Plus Android 4.2 has been out for ~8 months now and the GS3 still hasn't been updated! And don't expect the GS3 to ever get 4.3, let alone 5.0. But I guess if you like being stuck on old versions of a mobile OS, go ahead

 

[skratch77]

That could be related to the taking out of a certain component which was mentioned on iFixit. But taking out a certain component makes more sense than leaving in a component that will not be used. And tell my why the Nexus 4 unofficially supports any LTE bands when it isn't supposed to if it isn't for a left over chip. Still no evidence to show that there are radically different internal differences compared to the Optimus G.

And a micro SD card slot is reliant on the outer casing.


There is more evidence to support that they are built on the same logic boards than what you are saying. Yet you say I have no evidence? I guess you don't consider logically thinking to count as evidence. Good to know.

Let me just go back and look at the evidence you have given. Oh wait...


Because its subsidized by Google.
http://gadgetian.com/43941/google-subsidized-price-nexus-4-299-lg-no/
http://www.techclump.com/google-to-subsidize-the-cost-of-the-nexus-4/
http://9to5google.com/2012/11/03/is-google-subsidizing-the-price-of-the-299-lg-nexus-4/


Ya, quad-core CPU, 2GB RAM, 320 ppi screen, no bloatware, and stock Android with direct updates sure is mediocre. Oh wait...


The hardware portion of the screen is actually fantastic. Stock calibration is pretty bad though. But all you need is an app to re-calibrate and then the screen is awesome. Go look up the Franco kernel. His app comes with some very nice screen presets. But surely you did your research


Android Authority did a review of the Nexus 4 compared to the Optimus G and has some good things to say about the camera. But since you're the expert, I should just blindly take your opinion


I haven't seen this mentioned in any reviews and I personally have not had a problem. But if you say so, it must be true


Battery life really is the only problem with it. But considering it costs less than half that of a GS4, I can manage a little less SOT. Besides, whenever I am working I am on a computer. So having time to charge it isn't a problem. But considering the way you talk to other people, you must be super important and must always be out and about


Ya, gotta love that pentile display, cheap plastic, and slow dual-core CPU. Then tack all that onto the worst Android skin ever made. Even the Nexus 4 runs stock Android faster than a GS4 runs TouchWiz. Plus Android 4.2 has been out for ~8 months now and the GS3 still hasn't been updated! And don't expect the GS3 to ever get 4.3, let alone 5.0. But I guess if you like being stuck on old versions of a mobile OS, go ahead

Samsung is ahead of any other android makers on getting phones updated and on the latest updates and you are flat out wrong about the gs3,its on the latest jelly bean and so is the gs2.

Heck even the gs4 is out with android 4.3 and not even the nexus 4 has it yet

 

[3bs]

Heck even the gs4 is out with android 4.3 and not even the nexus 4 has it yet

No it's not. That was a leak and it's a Google Edition ROM not TouchWiz.

If you think that any phone is ahead of the current Nexus phone in terms of software then you don't know much about Android.

FYI I have an S4 and Nexus 4 so don't start accusing me of being overly defensive or anything, just stating the facts

 

[strausd]

Samsung is ahead of any other android makers on getting phones updated and on the latest updates and you are flat out wrong about the gs3,its on the latest jelly bean and so is the gs2.

Heck even the gs4 is out with android 4.3 and not even the nexus 4 has it yet

Like 3bs already said, you are wrong.

If you think you are right that the GS3 and GS2 runs TouchWiz on top of 4.2.2, provide a source.

I hope you are not actually saying that Samsung is better at providing updates than Google

No it's not. That was a leak and it's a Google Edition ROM not TouchWiz.

If you think that any phone is ahead of the current Nexus phone in terms of software then you don't know much about Android.

FYI I have an S4 and Nexus 4 so don't start accusing me of being overly defensive or anything, just stating the facts

I think we found a Samsung fanboy

 

[2298754]

I think we found a Samsung fanboy

Find me another Android maker that supports their devices as long as them. HTC and your beloved LG dont give a crap, if it isn't a Google device.

I'll reply to your other crap later.

 

[sentinelsx]

The thing is, the Nexus 4 was never meant to support LTE. It is clearly based on the Optimus G. The fact that the Nexus 4 has this tells you that the Nexus 4 wasn't just built from scratch bringing together similar components. They are likely using the exact same logic board with all of the same components, including CPU, RAM, amplifiers, screen, and even the exact same battery.

If you are to go about building a smartphone that you know will be based on another phone, you have two options. You can either price out similar components and redesign the logic board and how it all fits together and go through various testing stages to get everything working properly. Or you can just use the exact same logic board with all the included chips and amplifiers and eliminate the costly testing and designing phase. Considering Google's desire to keep the cost as low as possible, this is clearly the more likely option.

Not to mention the fact that there are hacks to turn an Optimus G into a Nexus 4. And I'm not just talking about flashing a stock ROM.

Really, the LTE chip is the biggest piece of evidence. Why include it if you are just bringing together a bunch of components separately and redesigning the logic board? You wouldn't. The only explanation for including it is because it is the same logic board that goes with the Optimus G. That is why all reviewers say they feel so similar. Speaker placement is the same, camera placement is the same, ear piece placement is the same. Everything besides the outter casing is the same.

There is so much evidence to show that they are built on the same components and that the only differences are on the outside. All you have to do is use a little logic and think it through. But if you insist that they are built with major internal differences, please show some evidence. Because logically and practically for all companies involved, what you are saying makes no sense.

I will give you one logical example:

The camera.

If the camera sensor can be different from the Optimus g, why can't the radio hardware be?

Logic board doesn't mean much. Given the same layout and many same components, I can still swap some component on the board with some cheaper or substandard one without affecting the rest.

Otherwise why couldn't lg just keep the same camera?

Again, no one did a tear down of OG to give us final evidence so lets not just assume everything.

The only other explanations of poor battery life if your hypothesis is correct are that lg probably built a worse battery batch in the nexus OR, google and lg messed up the low level drivers preventing proper wake locks and power management. The GE ROMs of s4 and one give slightly better battery life compared to skinned versions, however it is worth noting they are based on frameworks from the skinned devices so MAYBE, google just sucks in merging drivers with aosp. Who knows. May be they can do a better job with a moto nexus in future.

 

[tbayrgs]

Samsung is ahead of any other android makers on getting phones updated and on the latest updates and you are flat out wrong about the gs3,its on the latest jelly bean and so is the gs2.

Heck even the gs4 is out with android 4.3 and not even the nexus 4 has it yet

Should've stopped with this statement:

Samsung is ahead of any other android makers on getting phones updated

...because everything else you statement is simply incorrect.

And while Samsung is generally the best at updating their devices to newer versions of Android, they're still terrible at doing it in a timely fashion. This is the biggest flaw, by far, with Android. If you want timely updates, you have to compromise on hardware (Nexus--and yes, they are not flagship level quality devices), else you are at the mercy of the manufacturers and carriers. Hell, these new Google Play Edition devices were supposed to help solve that problem, until we find out the manufacturers, not Google, will be responsible for updating them. <sigh>

 

[sentinelsx]

Should've stopped with this statement:



...because everything else you statement is simply incorrect.

And while Samsung is generally the best at updating their devices to newer versions of Android, they're still terrible at doing it in a timely fashion. This is the biggest flaw, by far, with Android. If you want timely updates, you have to compromise on hardware (Nexus--and yes, they are not flagship level quality devices), else you are at the mercy of the manufacturers and carriers. Hell, these new Google Play Edition devices were supposed to help solve that problem, until we find out the manufacturers, not Google, will be responsible for updating them. <sigh>

Considering an android 4.3 rom for google editions is already leaked, I would n't be too worried.

The only time I really "need" an update is when a major one comes though, I tend to ignore these point upgrades. 4.3 doesn't seem to do much to warrant the update from 4.2.2 from me, just give me KLP when it comes and I will be happy. And I can bet 100% KLP will come to these ge phones pretty fast.

I am just thankful to google for this google edition concept. This is better than "buy a nexus only if you want good stock android experience".

 

[strausd]

I will give you one logical example:

The camera.

If the camera sensor can be different from the Optimus g, why can't the radio hardware be?

Logic board doesn't mean much. Given the same layout and many same components, I can still swap some component on the board with some cheaper or substandard one without affecting the rest.

Otherwise why couldn't lg just keep the same camera?

Again, no one did a tear down of OG to give us final evidence so lets not just assume everything.

The only other explanations of poor battery life if your hypothesis is correct are that lg probably built a worse battery batch in the nexus OR, google and lg messed up the low level drivers preventing proper wake locks and power management. The GE ROMs of s4 and one give slightly better battery life compared to skinned versions, however it is worth noting they are based on frameworks from the skinned devices so MAYBE, google just sucks in merging drivers with aosp. Who knows. May be they can do a better job with a moto nexus in future.

The camera is a good argument, as that could be one thing where they tried to save a little $$$. However, it does not definitively tell us one way or the other. And IMO, a lower quality camera sensor is not as strong of an argument as a left over LTE chip that is not taken advantage of. And changing out the camera could still mean they use the same logic board.

----------

Considering an android 4.3 rom for google editions is already leaked, I would n't be too worried.

The only time I really "need" an update is when a major one comes though, I tend to ignore these point upgrades. 4.3 doesn't seem to do much to warrant the update from 4.2.2 from me, just give me KLP when it comes and I will be happy. And I can bet 100% KLP will come to these ge phones pretty fast.

I am just thankful to google for this google edition concept. This is better than "buy a nexus only if you want good stock android experience".

Outside of Google Edition phones, if you can't trust a manufacturer to do a simple update from 4.1 to 4.2, you definitely can't trust them for a more feature-packed update.

 

[sentinelsx]

The camera is a good argument, as that could be one thing where they tried to save a little $$$. However, it does not definitively tell us one way or the other. And IMO, a lower quality camera sensor is not as strong of an argument as a left over LTE chip that is not taken advantage of. And changing out the camera could still mean they use the same logic board.

----------



Outside of Google Edition phones, if you can't trust a manufacturer to do a simple update from 4.1 to 4.2, you definitely can't trust them for a more feature-packed update.

Yes, it's a pity no one has found a final reason as to "why"...

I hope this google edition experiment is continued. If I got a nexus 4 I would definitely get a nexus 5 because I would welcome any improvements especially in battery life. However if I get a google edition phone (or better, simply flash the rom onto the identical phone like many have already), I know I will keep it for 2 years for sure. Which means they should atleast get KLP which I know they will, and most probably pretty quick too.

That way I can enjoy stock android on a future proof handset for a good 2 years at least. And then see what the mobile landscape is.

 

[strausd]

Yes, it's a pity no one has found a final reason as to "why"...

I hope this google edition experiment is continued. If I got a nexus 4 I would definitely get a nexus 5 because I would welcome any improvements especially in battery life. However if I get a google edition phone (or better, simply flash the rom onto the identical phone like many have already), I know I will keep it for 2 years for sure. Which means they should atleast get KLP which I know they will, and most probably pretty quick too.

That way I can enjoy stock android on a future proof handset for a good 2 years at least. And then see what the mobile landscape is.

Unfortunately there really is no such thing as future proof. That is one reason I like where the Nexus line can go. Great hardware at a cheap price.

Get a GS4 for $650 and keep it for 2 years, or get 2 Nexus phones each a year apart for less than that. Of course it is dependent on the continuation of good hardware at a great price.

 

[sentinelsx]

Unfortunately there really is no such thing as future proof. That is one reason I like where the Nexus line can go. Great hardware at a cheap price.

Get a GS4 for $650 and keep it for 2 years, or get 2 Nexus phones each a year apart for less than that. Of course it is dependent on the continuation of good hardware at a great price.

Well I am not talking about CPU or ram here. More like things like storage, camera performance, and LTe, all of which will be as good in 2015 on gs4 as now.

I am not going to buy a nexus and then be plugged in to charger every few hours. With the gs4 all it takes is a battery swap once the original loses its capacity over time which is also something I like. That's what I call future proof for me.

 

[strausd]

Well I am not talking about CPU or ram here. More like things like storage, camera performance, and LTe, all of which will be as good in 2015 on gs4 as now.

I am not going to buy a nexus and then be plugged in to charger every few hours. With the gs4 all it takes is a battery swap once the original loses its capacity over time which is also something I like. That's what I call future proof for me.

Some things I can understand. But I hope you don't actually think camera performance in 2015 will be the same as current camera performance on the GS4... Thats a pretty ludicrous statement. Especially with Nokia's PureView on the horizon in addition to Pelican's technology and Lytro.

Obviously CPU and RAM will improve, only making for smoother operation. And I am willing to bet the Nexus 5 has LTE and a bigger battery. Also, Google has said on multiple occasions they want better cameras on Android phones.

Also not sure why you think a Nexus 4 has to be plugged in every few hours... Seems like a clear exaggeration to me. More realistically if you have a heavy phone usage day, you may need to charge it once sometime during the day. But plugged in every few hours? No.

But we are getting sorely off topic. Back when I was looking into the Nexus 4, it was either that or a GS3. And if we go by your example of keeping it for 2 years or two Nexus devices, I would undoubtedly take a Nexus 4 + Nexus 5 for a total of 2 years of a GS3 for two years. No question about it.

 

[sentinelsx]

Some things I can understand. But I hope you don't actually think camera performance in 2015 will be the same as current camera performance on the GS4... Thats a pretty ludicrous statement. Especially with Nokia's PureView on the horizon in addition to Pelican's technology and Lytro.

Obviously CPU and RAM will improve, only making for smoother operation. And I am willing to bet the Nexus 5 has LTE and a bigger battery. Also, Google has said on multiple occasions they want better cameras on Android phones.

Also not sure why you think a Nexus 4 has to be plugged in every few hours... Seems like a clear exaggeration to me. More realistically if you have a heavy phone usage day, you may need to charge it once sometime during the day. But plugged in every few hours? No.

But we are getting sorely off topic. Back when I was looking into the Nexus 4, it was either that or a GS3. And if we go by your example of keeping it for 2 years or two Nexus devices, I would undoubtedly take a Nexus 4 + Nexus 5 for a total of 2 years of a GS3 for two years. No question about it.

Yeah but what I meant is that the camera performance will still be decent enough. I was happy with gs3 camera performance and the s4 is just an upgrade, but even if it wasn't I wouldn't care.

What I am trying to say is according to MY needs, some of the hardware is plateauing.

Although your nexus proposition isn't so bad either. To be honest my only beef is two things with the nexus: it could have better battery life and that it doesn't come with proper USB otg support (need separate power for USB sticks). What I really like about the s4 is ability to store tons of pictures, songs and shows/movies for on the go entertainment without having to manage every two days. Also the battery life is still better on s4. I wonder if I can wait another 4-5 months for a nexus that will give comparable battery life to what I want (5-6 hrs screen time on cellular data), but we are even sure if it will. On the other hand the s4 seems to do that fine. I routinely got 5hrs on s3 so s4 should be better (not talking wifi at all btw, which tend to do better but I don't have access to good wifi at work).

 

[strausd]

Yeah but what I meant is that the camera performance will still be decent enough. I was happy with gs3 camera performance and the s4 is just an upgrade, but even if it wasn't I wouldn't care.

What I am trying to say is according to MY needs, some of the hardware is plateauing.

Although your nexus proposition isn't so bad either. To be honest my only beef is two things with the nexus: it could have better battery life and that it doesn't come with proper USB otg support (need separate power for USB sticks). What I really like about the s4 is ability to store tons of pictures, songs and shows/movies for on the go entertainment without having to manage every two days. Also the battery life is still better on s4. I wonder if I can wait another 4-5 months for a nexus that will give comparable battery life to what I want (5-6 hrs screen time on cellular data), but we are even sure if it will. On the other hand the s4 seems to do that fine. I routinely got 5hrs on s3 so s4 should be better (not talking wifi at all btw, which tend to do better but I don't have access to good wifi at work).

Well "good enough" camera performance is completely subjective. Following that argument one could say CPU performance on the GS2 is "good enough" depending on who is saying it. So I don't see this as a good argument.

Yes, battery life can be improved. But there are some hardcore users our there who think the GS4 battery life isn't that great. Thats why third party batteries exist. Plus, there is already a Nexus 4 battery case for those that need it.

USB OTG is a fair argument, but I have never seen anyone actually use it. This feature is for a very minimal target audience. And personally I have no problem storing "tons" of pictures, songs, and movies. I actually have 53 GB music, 613 GB movies, and 707 GB of TV shows available to me whenever I need it thanks to a combination of Google Music and Plex. And with G+, Dropbox, and Copy's (check my signature for more details on this amazing service ) auto photo upload, having access to this stuff isn't a problem. I understand that many people like to have some of this stored internally and don't like to mess with their data plan, but neither are a problem for me.

Battery life really is the biggest problem for the Nexus 4. But even right now I have been off the charger for over 12 hours with fairly heavy usage (multiple blitz brigade sessions, also something you should check out, especially if you TF2). I am still at 20%. Most days I have no problem having battery or having easy access to charging. And with the Nexus, the fact that I can update every year with no contract and have it cost less than buy a new GSX every two years is a huge win. Plus the many advantages of having a phone geared towards developers. I am also willing to bet that the Nexus 5 has a much better camera and a much bigger battery, making the upgrade every year for less idea even more enticing.

I guess I just don't like the idea of being locked down for two years to technology that runs slower than an older phone (Nexus 4) runs stock Android.

 

[sentinelsx]

Well "good enough" camera performance is completely subjective. Following that argument one could say CPU performance on the GS2 is "good enough" depending on who is saying it. So I don't see this as a good argument.

Yes, battery life can be improved. But there are some hardcore users our there who think the GS4 battery life isn't that great. Thats why third party batteries exist. Plus, there is already a Nexus 4 battery case for those that need it.

USB OTG is a fair argument, but I have never seen anyone actually use it. This feature is for a very minimal target audience. And personally I have no problem storing "tons" of pictures, songs, and movies. I actually have 53 GB music, 613 GB movies, and 707 GB of TV shows available to me whenever I need it thanks to a combination of Google Music and Plex. And with G+, Dropbox, and Copy's (check my signature for more details on this amazing service ) auto photo upload, having access to this stuff isn't a problem. I understand that many people like to have some of this stored internally and don't like to mess with their data plan, but neither are a problem for me.

Battery life really is the biggest problem for the Nexus 4. But even right now I have been off the charger for over 12 hours with fairly heavy usage (multiple blitz brigade sessions, also something you should check out, especially if you TF2). I am still at 20%. Most days I have no problem having battery or having easy access to charging. And with the Nexus, the fact that I can update every year with no contract and have it cost less than buy a new GSX every two years is a huge win. Plus the many advantages of having a phone geared towards developers. I am also willing to bet that the Nexus 5 has a much better camera and a much bigger battery, making the upgrade every year for less idea even more enticing.

I guess I just don't like the idea of being locked down for two years to technology that runs slower than an older phone (Nexus 4) runs stock Android.

You must be living in the US because

A) our data plans are complete crap. Whether you bring your own device, or you get one from contract, or you buy a cheaper device, the plans don't change. You get the same crappy plans. Yep, no special discounts if I chose a n4 over a gs4 like you guys have from tmobile. Our big three are not like that. Also new entrants like wind have zero coverage at my home and work.

B) google music etc are not "allowed" to work in our country. There goes the cloud music option.

C) 30 mins of my commute is in subways which don't allow any cellular signal. There goes the cloud.

Now for the battery: how much was the screen on time in that 80%? Also was it mostly on wifi or 3G? I don't have access to a good wifi signal when I am outside and 70% of my day usage is on 3G (or LTe on an LTe phone like the i5). The n4 battery seems to drop like a brick when 3G radio starts working.

I don't get my kicks from having a faster processor. I used an iPhone 4 till 2012 with some androids side by side and I could still play heavy 3d games on it with great battery life. So I am sure the snapdragon 600 is going to fair great at least until late 2014 at which point I might consider a nexus 6 or something else. The reports of n5 having great battery life and great camera are nice but first they are not confirmed and second, google's promises aren't known to materialize all the time given everyone now wants them to stick to the magical $350 price point. And let's face it, something's gotta give to achieve that price. A Nikon camera and 3000 mah battery aren't coming at $350 at all.

 

[strausd]

You must be living in the US because

A) our data plans are complete crap. Whether you bring your own device, or you get one from contract, or you buy a cheaper device, the plans don't change. You get the same crappy plans. Yep, no special discounts if I chose a n4 over a gs4 like you guys have from tmobile. Our big three are not like that. Also new entrants like wind have zero coverage at my home and work.

B) google music etc are not "allowed" to work in our country. There goes the cloud music option.

C) 30 mins of my commute is in subways which don't allow any cellular signal. There goes the cloud.

Now for the battery: how much was the screen on time in that 80%? Also was it mostly on wifi or 3G? I don't have access to a good wifi signal when I am outside and 70% of my day usage is on 3G (or LTe on an LTe phone like the i5). The n4 battery seems to drop like a brick when 3G radio starts working.

I don't get my kicks from having a faster processor. I used an iPhone 4 till 2012 with some androids side by side and I could still play heavy 3d games on it with great battery life. So I am sure the snapdragon 600 is going to fair great at least until late 2014 at which point I might consider a nexus 6 or something else. The reports of n5 having great battery life and great camera are nice but first they are not confirmed and second, google's promises aren't known to materialize all the time given everyone now wants them to stick to the magical $350 price point. And let's face it, something's gotta give to achieve that price. A Nikon camera and 3000 mah battery aren't coming at $350 at all.

Screen on time wasn't very high as a majority of the battery went to Blitz Brigade, an intense 3D multiplayer game. If I do play any games and just do basic browsing, email, text, etc. then I can get anywhere between 3-4 hours SOT. Not great, I know. But for the price, the performance cannot be beat. Plus charging isn't a problem, and I can buy a charging case if necessary.

"snapdragon 600 is going to fair great at least until late 2014"
That is 100% depending on your usage. I notice major lags in Blitz Brigade. And both the S4 Pro and S600 use the Adreno 320 GPU, with the S600 having a light performance boost. But not enough to eliminate lag for games. So saying it will fair unto late 2014 just isn't right for my usage. Especially when games are only going to get more intense. Plus, sticking with a single phone for 2 years is more than just the CPU. So you can say that the CPU will be fine for 1.5 years, which I disagree with, but that doesn't mean screen will be on par with technology 1.5 years from now, or camera, or sensors, or anything really. Who knows what technology will be out 1.5 years from now, especially with talks of a finger print scanner. This is exactly why I like the idea of upgrading every year for less money. It just makes more sense.

Plus Google never said the Nexus 4 is a $350 device. It is widely known that it is subsidized by Google to keep the cost down. And with what they have done with the Nexus 7 as well, there are multiple pieces of evidence saying they will continue this strategy. So a year after the Nexus 4's release, a bigger battery and better camera at the same price are highly likely possibilities. After all, Android phones have been following this basic statement for quite some time.

Am I saying they will keep up this strategy forever? Of course not. But there is no evidence at this point to support that they will change course this year and bring prices up. And if history is any indication, it is likely Google will try and put the Nexus 5 at the same price point as the Nexus 4.

At this point we are getting even more off topic. We are just debating over something that isn't provable. You are just arguing based on pure personal speculation and I am arguing speculation based on past events. How we even got here I have no idea.

Back on topic, Nexus 4 + 5 over GS3 any day. And GS4 for that matter, but that wasn't an option when the N4 came out.