Nexus 4 is Google's fourth Nexus-branded Android smartphone. The phone was designed with and manufactured by LG Electronics.
The phone is equipped with a 1.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 2 GB of RAM, 8 or 16 GB of internal storage, front facing 1.3 megapixel camera and an 8 megapixel rear camera. The early leaked phone also included a micro-SIM card tray. The phone was launched with the new Android 4.2 operating system, titled (as was Android 4.1) "Jelly Bean".
On October 29, 2012, Google announced the Nexus 4, to be launched November 13, 2012.
The phone was made available for purchase on the Google Play online store in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, and Australia. Stock sold out quickly, in some markets within minutes of release. Google and LG have not yet announced when the phone will again be available for ordering. Pricing in the United States via Google Play had been set at $299 for the 8 GB model, and $349 for the 16 GB model.
The Nexus 4 was also made available through industry-standard means, via wireless carriers. Starting the following day, November 14, T-Mobile USA stores would sell the 16 GB model for $199 with a two-year service agreement,and $499 without the contract. On Thanksgiving morning, Google linked those customers browsing the Nexus 4 product page over to the online store of T-Mobile.com. Within hours, T-Mobile's online stock was sold out.
Europe, Central and South America, Asia, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and the Middle East were planned to receive Nexus 4 by the end of November 2012 in what Google referred to as "offline availability."
The phone was initially planned to not be available in South Korea due to carrier opposition, purportedly over the lack of LTE support. However, an online claim by KT Telecom President Pyo Hyun-myung that he is requesting for the Nexus 4 launch has led to LG's announcement that they are in talks with Google about the issue as of November 22, 2012. Google Nexus 4 hands-on
Reception of the Nexus 4 has been mostly positive. The lack of a usable LTE radio has garnered some criticism.While some more expensive high-end phones are shipping with usable LTE radios, the Nexus 4's LTE radio is not activated and only uses HSPA+ with a theoretical peak speed of 42 Mbps (5.25 MB/s), compared to the 100 Mbps (12.5 MB/s) that can theoretically be achieved with LTE. Google noted that it omitted LTE technology in order to reduce size, cost, and power consumption, as well as to see how network technology evolved in the near future. Additionally, by not having CDMA2000 radios, the device's software is free from carrier intervention and the closed nature of CDMA2000 from companies such as Verizon Wireless and Sprint in the United States.
On November 23rd it was confirmed that, through modifying device settings, it is possible for the device to use LTE Band 4 (AWS).
Brand Google/LG
Manufacturer LG Electronics
Series Google Nexus
Compatible networks
GSM/EDGE/GPRS (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
3G UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSPA+ (850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz)
HSDPA 42 Mbps
LTE band 4
First released November 13, 2012; 20 days ago
Availability by country November 13, 2012 (Google Play)
Predecessor Galaxy Nexus
Related Optimus G
Nexus 7
Nexus 10
Type Smartphone
Form factor Slate
Dimensions
133.9 mm (5.27 in) H
68.7 mm (2.70 in) W
9.1 mm (0.36 in)
Weight 139 g (4.9 oz)
Operating system Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean
SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064
CPU 1.5 GHz quad-core Krait
GPU Adreno 320
Memory 2 GB RAM
Storage 8/16 GB (depending on version)
Battery
3.8 V 2100 mAh, 8 Wh
rechargable Lithium polymer non-removable battery
Talk time 15 hours
Maximum Standby Time 390 hours
Data inputs Multi-touch, capacitive touchscreen, proximity sensor
Display
4.7 in (120 mm) diagonal IPS with Corning Gorilla Glass 2
1280×768 px (320 ppi)
Rear camera
8 MP back-side illuminated sensor with LED flash
1080p video recording @ 30 frames/s
Front camera
1.3 MP
720p video recording @ frames/s
Connectivity
3.5 mm TRRS
GPS
Micro USB 2.0 with USB On-The-Go
Mobility DisplayPort (MyDP)
Bluetooth (3.0 enabled, 4.0 compatible hardware)
NFC
Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n (2.4/5 GHz)
Wireless Charging