Google LG Nexus 4 early review disappoints & name news
We’ve been bringing you the latest developments on what is thought will be the next Google Nexus phone, the LG Nexus 4. This has alternatively been dubbed the LG E960, the LG Optimus Nexus and the Mako at various points but news today suggests that Nexus 4 name is spot on and we also have news of an early review that’s a little disappointing.
We recently gave you news on some images that have purportedly been taken with the LG Nexus 4, leaked by a Russian website and had also heard that the same site were soon to issue a review of the phone. We now have further news on that review and frankly for a Nexus phone what we’re told is distinctly underwhelming and many fans of the pure Google experience will have been hoping for more. However we must stress that the review is “preliminary” and uses an unfinished version of the phone so hopefully everything will be improved by the time it hits the shelves. We recently told of rumors that October 29 could be when the Nexus 4 is officially announced but at this point that hasn’t been confirmed.
So far rumored specs on the LG Nexus 4 have included a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor, Adreno 320 graphics, 2GB of RAM, 4.7-inch display with resolution of 1280 x 768, an 8-megapixel rear camera and only 8 of internal storage, non-expandable. The latter part of this concerns a lot of people and we’ve had comments to previous posts on the Nexus 4 from Nexus enthusiasts who will be very unhappy indeed if the phone does actually arrive with 8GB of internal storage and no option to expand.
News of the early review on the Nexus 4 comes to us from The Verge, sourced from Onliner, and for a phone that hasn’t yet been announced we get a good look the device. Appearance-wise it looks much the same as the current Galaxy Nexus and has a hidden LED notification light as does the Galaxy Nexus, as well as on-screen buttons. There are chrome buttons though and apparently during this preliminary review attempts were made to scratch the back plate of the phone, with no success. It could win some points here then after the much-discussed ‘scratchgate’ issues with the iPhone 5.
The prototype phone used for the review has a sealed battery with a micro SIM card tray, has a flat screen and a headphone jack on the top. Most worrying is that the device used does indeed only have 8GB of onboard storage with no microSD slot to expand. Of course it’s possible that could change by release but it has to be said that at this stage the signs are not looking good and we think this will really disappoint a lot of Nexus device enthusiasts. The quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor seems to be confirmed, along with the phones 2GB of RAM and the 4.7-inch display, which it turns out is an IPS unit rather than an AMOLED display.
The unit reviewed runs on 4.1.2 Jelly Bean although it has also been rumored that it will have Android 4.2 on launch but performance was described as “buggy.” The photos we previously mentioned were adequate but not much more than that and we also told of benchmark tests where we would have expected the results to be better. Overall it all sounds like a bit of a letdown but of course we’ll remind ourselves again that this is an early review on a device that hasn’t yet been completely finished and optimized.
On top of that we have the name news that we mentioned earlier and it does seem as though the LG Nexus 4 as a moniker is almost a done deal. Android Central reports that images posted on Picasa from the upcoming LG Nexus phone have exif data that lists the device as the LG Nexus 4. Although this data can be faked, the fact that the photos were posted by a Google software engineer gives this credence and also the name does tally with that on Carphone Warehouse listings so it does seem likely that the LG Nexus 4 is the final name.
We’re interested to hear your thoughts on the early review of the Nexus 4 and particularly the amount of internal storage. Would this be a deal breaker for you if you were considering purchasing this smartphone? Maybe you were hoping for something more impressive overall? Let us know with your comments.
Comments
12 thoughts on “Google LG Nexus 4 early review disappoints & name news”
the 16 gigs on my current Galaxy Nexus is already insufficient. 8 gigs is definitely a deal breaker imo.
I know Google are trying to encourage use of the cloud for storage, which is why we see less and less Android phones with expandable memory but to kit the phone out with a measly 8gb is an insult if you ask me. Using the cloud for storage just isn’t practical. I use my phone as my MP3 player and if I have to be connected to the internet to use it, I’m suddenly restricted quite severely. For starters train and aeroplane journeys would be a no go. Furthermore, getting files into the cloud in the first place is a ridiculously lengthy procedure if you need to upload anything large. Here in the UK average upload speeds are pathetic so even on the fastest home broadband package uploading a 1.5gb movie would take you over TWO DAYS.
I’m sure that one day truly high speed internet will be freely available to all, even underground and in the sky, but right now we are years away from this so don’t kill off the precious storage we need in anticipation for services we can only currently dream of.
If the rumours are true and this handset launches with only 8gb storage then it’s going to flop.
Your so retarded. Stop talking like you know anything becuase you don’t. They don’t use micro sd card slots becuase they hate how segregated and partioned the memory becomes with a micro sd card (apps can only go here, games here music here etc…) so they just put 1 chunk of memory in there devices so there’s no confusion. You have one piece of memory for everything so there’s no confusion when trying to save. This is the reason why we will never see and iOS devic with a micro sd card slot as well as future nexus devices.
Wow YOU’RE an idiot. Did that guy say anything about adding in an sd card? No. What he wants is more than 8 gb of storage, this is why we already see iOS products with 64 gb of internal memory. You need to learn to read before being allowed to leave YOUR rock and go out into the world. Also, calling people “retarded” is extremely offensive. I bet if you had a child with a mental disability, you would never call anyone “retarded” again.
You’re exactly right Aj…when someone uses the word ‘retarded’, it just shows their own lack of intelligence and is probably a Middle School or young High School teen! An intelligent adult would never use the word “retarded”! Either that or Jon1123 isn’t very smart himself.
Spoken like a true iphone user.
What an ignorant moron Jon1123!
If you believe there will only be a 8 and 16 GB variant than your crazy. No way this would happen but it will definitely happen that the same with the rumors of no 4g another thing that womnt happen. People need to quit crying and wait until the release. My biggest gripe at this point is that back design needs a little tweaking isn’t a deal breaker but can set one off.
This would be a ridiculous assessment. You guys in the “press” are the ones hyping this imminent release. neither Google nor LG has announced that “within x amount of days the next nexus needs to be release”. They could be in rough alpha built for all we care. Its true that having been almost near a year of its last release , the next nexus should be announced any day but maybe it won’t be this month. I know Google isn’t foolish to have an 8 gig phone with no SD card, it would be useless.
What a useless review it was a prototype model and could hardly run the OS properly. Why would you review and state specs of a phone that isnt meant to be distributed or shown to anyone other than the people it was sent to? All it does is scare people away from the phone unless thats what your trying to do. “and uses an unfinished version of the phone” you should have stopped your review right there. These are all rumors and nothing is confirmed other than the processor and memory. Such a waste of time.
I say screw this review from whoever has a prototype nexus phone, we are already half way through October let’s make any type decisions when it is announced until than just speculate people
Most retarded review ever. Is this site just a big content farm? You’ve wasted my time.