Google has cut the price of the Nexus 4 by $100. The 8GB now sells for $199 and the 16GB sells for $249.
Google launched the Nexus 4 in November 2012 and priced the unlocked LG smartphone at $299 for 8GB and $349 for the 16GB model. When the smartphone hit the Google Play Store both models sold out within minutes of being offered. The handset proved to be a very popular smartphone due to its price, the fact that it was unlocked, and it was a Nexus device. Nexus smartphones and tablets come with the guarantee that once Google releases a new version of Android, those devices are the first to receive the OTA (over the air) update since they don't need to go through manufacturer and carrier testing, which can sometimes take months, if ever.
Google has always chosen an Android licensee to partner with and build Nexus smartphones. It chose HTC to build the first Nexus, the Nexus One, in January 2010, which ran Android 2.1 Eclair. It followed by choosing Samsung to build the second-generation Nexus smartphone, the Nexus S, in December 2010. The Nexus S was the first smartphone to run Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Samsung was once again chosen to build Google's next Nexus, the Galaxy Nexus. The Galaxy Nexus was released in November 2011 as the first device to run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and was later offered by Verizon. Google chose LG to partner with in building the Nexus 4 in 2012 and it shipped the smartphone with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The Nexus 4 would prove to be a very popular smartphone both on the Google Play Store and when it became available through T-Mobile.
The Nexus 4 will likely become even popular now that Google has cut the price of the smartphone by $100. The Nexus 4 features a 4.7-inch 1280 x 768 IPS Gorilla Glass LCD display with a pixel density of 318 pixels per inch (ppi) and is powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor. It runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean (can be updated to Android 4.3), includes 8GB or 16GB of internal storage and 2GB of RAM. It is packing an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 1.3-megapixel front facing camera. Its wireless capabilities include a 4G HSPA+ radio, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, NFC and built-in wireless charging. It also includes a 2.100 mAh battery, which provides up to 15 hours of talk time.
It's not clear if Google's new price cut is due to clearing inventory for the rumored Nexus 5, which is expected to be announced in the next few months. Either way, the Nexus 4 is a very impressive unlocked smartphone at its original price, and even more impressive for $199 and $249.
