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flopticalcube

macrumors G4
Th inclusion of an LTE chip is interesting. Was it abandoned? Is it in there for future upgrade? If so, why bother populating the board? Useless to me as I have no LTE service and probably won't for at least another year or two but I'm still curious. I will also be interested to see what Google does with the throttling and supposed battery-life issues, neither of which bother me personally but seem to have created a stink in the media.
 

michaeljohn

macrumors 6502
Oct 27, 2012
279
0
Th inclusion of an LTE chip is interesting. Was it abandoned? Is it in there for future upgrade? If so, why bother populating the board? Useless to me as I have no LTE service and probably won't for at least another year or two but I'm still curious. I will also be interested to see what Google does with the throttling and supposed battery-life issues, neither of which bother me personally but seem to have created a stink in the media.

They didn't include an LTE radio because its a cheap phone.
 

michaeljohn

macrumors 6502
Oct 27, 2012
279
0
The amp and antenna cost would have been marginal. The biggest cost was in the encoder which has been included. If they REALLY wanted to cheap out they could have saved a few dollars by not populating the boards with the chips so I find no merit in your statement.

Well, there are a ton of other phones that feature LTE radios and can run on both GSM and CDMA networks, why can't the Nexus 4?
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Original poster
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
Th inclusion of an LTE chip is interesting. Was it abandoned? Is it in there for future upgrade? If so, why bother populating the board? Useless to me as I have no LTE service and probably won't for at least another year or two but I'm still curious. I will also be interested to see what Google does with the throttling and supposed battery-life issues, neither of which bother me personally but seem to have created a stink in the media.

Maybe it has to do with Google/Dish starting their own carrier service. Dish has LTE spectrum. Maybe it's part of Google's ultimate plan to subvert the carriers. There were rumors a while back that Google wanted to offer a full data plan (that includes voice and text ala Google Voice) $9.99.

Who knows! Google is doing very many interesting things (they're also pushing windmill technology, new fiber optics, driverless vehicles...).
 
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flopticalcube

macrumors G4
Well, there are a ton of other phones that feature LTE radios and can run on both GSM and CDMA networks, why can't the Nexus 4?

That was my question. They included the LTE chip but no amp or antenna? Why? Maybe they plan on having carriers provide post-production upgrades where they slap in an antenna and amp daughter-board specifically tuned to their networks. Its a curious design and one that begs many questions.
 

Orange Furball

macrumors 65816
May 18, 2012
1,325
8
Scranton, PA, USA
That was my question. They included the LTE chip but no amp or antenna? Why? Maybe they plan on having carriers provide post-production upgrades where they slap in an antenna and amp daughter-board specifically tuned to their networks. Its a curious design and one that begs many questions.

Doesn't that defeat the whole Stock Android thing? Unless Google can still provide updates along with Google Play nexus 4s.
 

flopticalcube

macrumors G4
Doesn't that defeat the whole Stock Android thing? Unless Google can still provide updates along with Google Play nexus 4s.

I don't think so since it would only be for that specific purpose (LTE). It could also be that they had initially planned to make the phone LTE but abandoned the idea for some reason (battery, lack of carrier support, LG competition, etc.) but it was too late to depopulate the first run of boards. Later units may come with the chip missing.
 

ChazUK

macrumors 603
Feb 3, 2008
5,393
25
Essex (UK)
They didn't include an LTE radio because its a cheap phone.

Can you explain "cheap"?
http://www.androidcentral.com/spanish-retailer-suspends-plans-sell-nexus-4-grounds-pricing

Phone House, the largest independent chain of telecommunications in Europe and Spain, it will release the new Google Nexus 4 and LG, whose launch was scheduled for November 13 in the catalog of this month

Phone House has decided to suspend the sale of this product after finding that the recommended retail price by LG of 599 € and conditions offered for commercialization are worse than the MSRP published by Google on its website and does not maintain the commitment with customers and offer the lowest price guarantee that characterizes Phone House.

€599 euros ($763.39/£480.59) and it's "cheap"? You're looking into the Google subsidized price a little too much here.
 

Orange Furball

macrumors 65816
May 18, 2012
1,325
8
Scranton, PA, USA
If Google launches a carrier, I'll just ship. I'm already in the process of moving from AT&T (by buying waiting to buy the Nexus 4 off contract) so I'm ready for what they have to offer. Bring it on Google!
 

strausd

macrumors 68030
Jul 11, 2008
2,998
1
Texas
My guess is that maybe the phone is taking advantage of some of the other features in the LTE chip. Most chips do more than one thing. And then maybe LTE itself is just disabled because of the lack of other hardware features required.
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Original poster
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
Folks over at XDA predict it's either for Tmobile's eventual LTE bands, possibly ATT's LTE bands, and a long long shot that it's for the Google/Dish potential partnership LTE bands.
 

michaeljohn

macrumors 6502
Oct 27, 2012
279
0


As I said, Google cheaped out with the phone. They even admitted it

"So, it seems that Google was telling the truth when it said that adding LTE would have been too expensive, added too much bulk, and been difficult because of the varying LTE compatibility around the world"

Ignoring a HUGE number of CDMA users because it would bring up your cost is just cheap and pathetic for a company as big as Google to be honest. What if Apple were to say they werent going to make a CDMA iPhone because its too expensive or make their phone too bulky? Thats bush league and thats why Google and its Nexus line will never attain the success that Apple and the iPhone have.
 

jsw

Moderator emeritus
Mar 16, 2004
22,910
44
Andover, MA
As I said, Google cheaped out with the phone. They even admitted it

"So, it seems that Google was telling the truth when it said that adding LTE would have been too expensive, added too much bulk, and been difficult because of the varying LTE compatibility around the world"

Ignoring a HUGE number of CDMA users because it would bring up your cost is just cheap and pathetic for a company as big as Google to be honest. What if Apple were to say they werent going to make a CDMA iPhone because its too expensive or make their phone too bulky? Thats bush league and thats why Google and its Nexus line will never attain the success that Apple and the iPhone have.
True. Apple would never, ever, ever release an iPhone without CDMA support. Ever. Right? I mean, right from the start, there was Verizon/Sprint support, wasn't there?

Oh, wait. Apple ignored CDMA as well for a long time.
 

michaeljohn

macrumors 6502
Oct 27, 2012
279
0
True. Apple would never, ever, ever release an iPhone without CDMA support. Ever. Right? I mean, right from the start, there was Verizon/Sprint support, wasn't there?

Oh, wait. Apple ignored CDMA as well for a long time.

Seeing as how they had an exclusive contract with AT&T, a GSM carrier, Apple really didnt have much choice did they? What happened as soon as the exclusive contract was up and they were free to do as they pleased? CDMA iPhones! Wow! Does Google have an exclusive contract with a GSM carrier? Didnt think so.
 

Mxbzz

macrumors 6502
Jul 22, 2012
364
180
As I said, Google cheaped out with the phone. They even admitted it

"So, it seems that Google was telling the truth when it said that adding LTE would have been too expensive, added too much bulk, and been difficult because of the varying LTE compatibility around the world"

Ignoring a HUGE number of CDMA users because it would bring up your cost is just cheap and pathetic for a company as big as Google to be honest. What if Apple were to say they werent going to make a CDMA iPhone because its too expensive or make their phone too bulky? Thats bush league and thats why Google and its Nexus line will never attain the success that Apple and the iPhone have.

I like how you mentioned Google themselves said it was to reduce costs, yet you argue that their argument proves that they are cheap... Uhh.. Duh?

And no, Google and its Nexus line will never attain the success like Apple and the iPhone has because Nexus is not the only device that runs the Android OS.


By the way, why are people still complaining about the lack of LTE on this phone still? Google made it clear that this phone did not support it from the get-go. Want LTE? Look elsewhere. Try a Galaxy S3, or an Optimus G. Too expensive? Not my problem.
 

michaeljohn

macrumors 6502
Oct 27, 2012
279
0
By the way, why are people still complaining about the lack of LTE on this phone still? Google made it clear that this phone did not support it from the get-go. Want LTE? Look elsewhere. Try a Galaxy S3, or an Optimus G. Too expensive? Not my problem.

Because there are plenty of people like myself on a CDMA carrier who would like a Nexus phone with LTE and without carrier bloatware. Google seems incapable of doing that but strangely enough, Apple can. Google is either too cheap or too lazy to make it happen.
 

jsw

Moderator emeritus
Mar 16, 2004
22,910
44
Andover, MA
Seeing as how they had an exclusive contract with AT&T, a GSM carrier, Apple really didnt have much choice did they? What happened as soon as the exclusive contract was up and they were free to do as they pleased? CDMA iPhones! Wow! Does Google have an exclusive contract with a GSM carrier? Didnt think so.
So what you're saying is that Apple made a business decision to not produce CDMA phones for years because they felt that was the best decision for them at the time. Hmmm. Sounds similar to me.
 

michaeljohn

macrumors 6502
Oct 27, 2012
279
0
So what you're saying is that Apple made a business decision to not produce CDMA phones for years because they felt that was the best decision for them at the time. Hmmm. Sounds similar to me.

Nope, not at all. They took the phone to Verizon, a CDMA carrier, first but Verizon turned them down. So they went to AT&T next. Apple was under contract on a GSM carrier, making a CDMA iPhone would have been a breach of that contract. They COULDNT make a CDMA iPhone until that contract was up. Whats so hard to understand here? Whats Google's excuse for no CDMA Nexus 4? Its too expensive? LOL. HTC is in the toilet and they can make CDMA phones with LTE. Google is just lazy.
 
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