Nexus 4 - Official - JUST ANNOUNCED $299 off contract [Merged]

[tbayrgs]

lol some of the people on here are redicouous...its ONLY $300 WITHOUT contract... and unlocked...seriously, find a phone that has those specs, at that price...it doesnt have LTE? 1) HSPA+ is pretty fast (get like 5-7 mbs where i live) 2) who is to say that there will not be carrier specific LTE in the future??

For only $300 this is a steal...compare the 16gb nexus 4 to the iphone 5...Nexus= $349 vs. Iphone= $649...only difference? no LTE but is it worth paying nearly double for that? I feel like getting one because its just so cheap and such a great phone (spec wise)..

It is absolutely a great value...if it meets your needs. I personally will not go back to HSPA from LTE, need more than 16 GB storage, and want a quality camera on my phone--3 areas the Nexus 4 falls short. I don't need an unlocked device--I'm on a corporate cell plan and am not going anywhere so for less money I can get a better equipped device.

For some people this phone hit's their sweet spot. For others, they're willing to make compromises to get such a great price on an unlocked device--great for them. Believe it or not, not everyone falls into those two categories.

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Engadget's hands-on and walk through: http://www.viddler.com/v/156bce48?secret=35112322

Device looks more and more beautiful. I'm so glad the back is very subtle.

And yes, you can configure the pull down Quick Settings menu, which I was wondering about.

Just watched this walk though--have to admit, very good looking device, best looking Android device available, IMO. Damn Google, if you could have just made a version that included LTE and at least 32 GB...I'll give you $500 for that.

 

[The Face]

true, but it is pretty much on par with what others do if you want contract free. The nexus is in a class of its of own at that price, contract free.

The sim free price is on par if not a little higher than most high end Android phones, but it's the iPhone contract prices that bother me.

I hate Apples "You'll pay us more for the iPhone on contract than any other tariff and phone because we said you have to" mentality.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

I'm thinking about getting the 16gb one for my mother as a Xmas present.

 

[mattopotamus]

The sim free price is on par if not a little higher than most high end Android phones, but it's the iPhone contract prices that bother me.

I hate Apples "You'll pay us more for the iPhone on contract than any other tariff and phone because we said you have to" mentality.

really? I could have sworn the s3 and htc one x were $199 w/ a two year contract.

 

[The Face]

really? I could have sworn the s3 and htc one x were $199 w/ a two year contract.

In the UK, one of the cheapest iPhones 5 contract is £46 ($73) a month with a crap tariff, or £32 ($51) a month + £129 ($207) one off cost for the phone.

You can get a Galaxy S3 for free on as little as £21 a month, even the Galaxy Note 2 can be got for free on a £30 contract.

 

[mattopotamus]

In the UK, one of the cheapest iPhones 5 contract is £46 ($73) a month with a crap tariff, or £32 ($51) a month + £129 ($207) one off cost for the phone.

You can get a Galaxy S3 for free on as little as £21 a month, even the Galaxy Note 2 can be got for free on a £30 contract.

ahh...in the UK it works a lot different than the US w/ contract phones and prices. Pretty much any new smart phone will cost you $199 w/ a 2 year contract or $600+ w/ no contract.

 

[onthecouchagain]

Damn Google, if you could have just made a version that included LTE and at least 32 GB...I'll give you $500 for that.

Yeah, it'll be interesting to see if Google can forge better relations with the carriers. I think if the Nexus brand and name can take off and gain enough popularity and recognition, the carriers will compromise. Apparently, the Verizon-Google debacle for the Galaxy Nexus LTE left Google with a very sour taste for carriers. If Google can't update their Nexus device directly, there's almost no point in giving any carrier a "Nexus" phone. It'll just annoy customers who buy the Nexus thinking they'll get updates from Google. Then when the carriers block or slow them down, the unknowing customer hates Google. That's what happened with the Verizon Galaxy Nexus and those adopters.

Apple's influence and reach is, no doubt, way farther than Google's.

In terms of the future when LTE is more ubiquitous and needs to be a standard feature, Google will have to forge these relations. The Nexus line is on the right path, but the work for Google is far from over.

 

[MDomino]

Sweet!
At last a device which convinces me to switch from my good old Nokia 6210 into the shiny world of smart phones.
All the other smart phones before seemed totally overpriced to me or their features didn't meet my expectations.

 

[MacManTexas56]

Since it will supposedly have a battery that lasts a whole day, there is no reason to be sitting around with the plugged in trying to use it. The point is when you go to sleep, you set it on the dock. It's simple and easy to use. Plus, it is tilted so you can set it to automatically show the clock.

key word, "supposedly"

it's an android device...if it's not a razr maxx the battery will suck

 

[THE JUICEMAN]

key word, "supposedly"

it's an android device...if it's not a razr maxx the battery will suck

I would have agreed with you last year. It seems proven that this is no longer the case wrong phones like the S3 and the One X. I'm thinking the battery will be pretty good on the Nexus. Only time will tell.

 

[Faux Carnival]

Will this phone be sold in any physical stores in the US? Thanks.

 

[mattopotamus]

Will this phone be sold in any physical stores in the US? Thanks.

doubtful....not until the TMO version is released....then it may be at best buy. The current one can only be bought at verizon or bestbuy or maybe radio shack, but the verizon version. Not the unlocked one.

 

[ixodes]

All of the criticism here reveals a lot of Android envy.

This is an excellent phone, carefully configured with all the key features, while wisely leaving off battery sucking LTE.

In another year or two LTE will be more relevant, but based on my LTE experience in a very strong area, I can take it or leave it.

The true advantage of this gorgeous phone is it's spacious 4.7" display. It enables one to do less scrolling, more reading, and much faster typing. Until you've used a display this size you have no clue as to just how beneficial it is.

If Apple ever decides to join the modern age with a spacious display, they'll be a far more serious threat to the competition.

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Will this phone be sold in any physical stores in the US? Thanks.

AT&T will have it.

 

[tjl3]

All of the criticism here reveals a lot of Android envy.

This is an excellent phone, carefully configured with all the key features, while wisely leaving off battery sucking LTE.

In another year or two LTE will be more relevant, but based on my LTE experience in a very strong area, I can take it or leave it.

The true advantage of this gorgeous phone is it's spacious 4.7" display. It enables one to do less scrolling, more reading, and much faster typing. Until you've used a display this size you have no clue as to just how beneficial it is.

If Apple ever decides to join the modern age with a spacious display, they'll be a far more serious threat to the competition.

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AT&T will have it.

Meh, HSPA+ on AT&T was nothing special. Moved to LTE on Verizon, and not looking back, not considering a phone w/o LTE. As for battery sucking, you're talking about 5 hours of talk time up from 10 compared to what the GS3 gets out of the same battery. iP5 gets 8 hours and it does just fine.

A nice subtle thing they did with the screen is that they made it 16:10 and not 16:9, so in portrait you get a little more realestate, however you're left with some letterboxing for 16:9 video, and exactly the same sized video as a Galaxy Nexus.

As for AT&T, just wait till their carrier phone comes w/ LTE.

 

[The Face]

Screen size is 99% of the reason why I purchase a phone, bigger is better for me. I'm glad Google decided to stay above 4.5" for this, 4.7" is completely acceptable in my view and a brilliant size.

Albeit I wouldn't complain if they made if bigger, but I've got my Note 2 to fill that spot. But hey, I wouldn't wven mind if they made the Note bigger!

 

[XVentura]

I'm not in the US but can get someone to pick it up for me. I assume that it'll work anywhere in the world, yes? Also, which states don't have a tax that'll add on to the basic $299?

$299 is just too god damned cheap for a phone like this.

 

[The Face]

No where should add tax on, $299 is the sim free price from Google play store tax included.

 

[Scrub175]

It's interesting to read how removing LTE has a good technical justification now, but during the next big thing campaign Samsung poked fun at how Apple is finally catching up to the current crop of smartphones by adding LTE.

I really like what google is doing with the nexus line from a business perspective. Set the specs, set the manufacturer to your specs, competitively price the phone as an off contract carrier free device. Google has the good better best and device size that fits your needs. Overall I hate to see the nexus line diluted but from a protected device perspective, this really strengthens Google's Nexus brand and Android OS.

I remember when the Nexus 1 was announced and pulled from Verizon, that was disappointing. The Nexus was the flagship that got all the goodies from devs and pure vanilla from Google.

 

[PDFierro]

No where should add tax on, $299 is the sim free price from Google play store tax included.

And where did you see that? For devices sold on Google Play, tax is always added at check out. And a high shipping charge.

 

[MacManTexas56]

No where should add tax on, $299 is the sim free price from Google play store tax included.

tax and shipping on the $349 device add a good $40. just under $400 in total for the device. Tax and shipping is not included in their prices....it's extra.

 

[XVentura]

What taxes are added? Surely that's dependent on the state you're buying it from.

 

[The Face]

tax and shipping on the $349 device add a good $40. just under $400 in total for the device. Tax and shipping is not included in their prices....it's extra.

Oh I see, I'm in the UK and the price you see is the price you pay, the tax isn't added on at the end. Didn't realise it's different in the states, apologies!

 

[onthecouchagain]

key word, "supposedly"

it's an android device...if it's not a razr maxx the battery will suck

Oh?

Keep in mind that's 13+ hours with 48% left. I could go another 10 hours easily. It's not hard to believe 15+ hours of battery life on HSPA+ for the Nexus 4.

Waiting a few more seconds when browsing versus nearly double battery life... worth it.

 

[onthecouchagain]

The true advantage of this gorgeous phone is it's spacious 4.7" display.

Tis be gorgeous, indeed. The iPhone 5 still looks weird to me, like it's a chocolate bar.

I think the back of both devices is love or hate.

But the sides easily go to Apple's diamond cut polish edges, especially the white one.

 

[MacManTexas56]

Oh?

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Keep in mind that's 13+ hours with 48% left. I could go another 10 hours easily. It's not hard to believe 15+ hours of battery life on HSPA+ for the Nexus 4.

Waiting a few more seconds when browsing versus nearly double battery life... worth it.

galaxy nexus?