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When Google announced the Nexus 4 yesterday many of its features were scrutinized with a microscope. People touted the processor, salivated at the amount of RAM inside, rejoiced for the emergence of Android 4.2 and more. But Googler Dan Morrill (via Google+) said one thing many people weren’t talking about that he felt was a very important part of the phone was its edge-to-edge display.
Morrill said LG wanted to do edge-to-edge, and while Google was happy to agree they didn’t want the experience to be uncomfortable due to the sharp edges that are generally evident with this sort of engineering. They went back to the drawing board several times, apparently, until LG found a way to get those edges smoothed down in a way that allowed the chassis to sort of “blend” into the display.
I’m sure the end-result of all that R&D is nice in person, but having yet to handle this phone in person I can’t say for sure just how impressive it’s going to be. But with all this glass in tow (there’s another slab on the back covering the “chatoyance” sparkle effect) some are worried about durability. Tempered glass surely does help, but it’s still susceptible to damage.
Dan Morrill confirmed that a bumper accessory would be available for purchase for anyone feeling uneasy with the lack of raised edges. Let’s get this out of the way right now — this is NOT like Antennagate. This bumper’s purpose is for cosmetic protection and not to eradicate errant antennae. It’s pretty much a case, except the back is gone because Google wants you to be able to show off that beautiful backside (minds out of the gutter please).
Raised edges in a phone are supposed to act as a buffer between a surface and the display to cut down on the chances a display will shatter. Many people will no doubt take care of this with a case, but many others don’t want that beautiful back plate covered up, so a bumper would be a very popular accessory.
We’re not sure on details yet, but we should expect them to be available either on the day the device is made available or very shortly afterward. We can’t even get an early look just yet, so just know that the bumper is coming and that you won’t have to compromise the beauty for that extra padding you’ll want. Anyone planning to pick one of these up once the Nexus 4 goes on sale November 13th?
I think pics would be nice, just to see how much bigger/fatter the phone looks. I like to keep my phone in a really thin pouch (think neoprene pouches), but could be convinced to give the bumper a try if it can still slide smoothly into my pants pocket (do bumpers “snag” a lot that way?).
All the cases I’ve ever bought stick and snag as i pull it in/out of my pocket. Actually most of my drops came because of that.
Mentioning accessories that will come out for a Nexus device sounds contradicting. I am skeptical these bumpers and charging orb will be made available. I am still waiting on proper charging docks for the Nexus 7 and Verizon Galaxy Nexus.
Concur. They never even had the accessories that mattered in stock for the regular GNex. No desktop dock other than about 8 minutes of the entire life of the GNex. So Ill def have a “wait and see” attitude with those accessories. If they deliver, I will probably get this when I switch carriers, otherwise probably just pick up an old GNex for less.
Defeats the design of the phone – If you need to add an accessory to protect it’s glASS
Well you don’t NEED it. Could just be more careful with it. But for people who are going to buy a case anyway (many people do) then this is only another option and perfect for those who won’t want the beautiful parts of the phone to be covered up while still being somewhat protected. It’s all about options.
Some prefer to carry their device case free, others don’t. The choice is up to the owner.
It’s more like, some people just buy it for the hardware, and some for its aesthetics.
I personally never use a case, because I don’t plan on reselling it and would rather hold a nice phone in my hand for every minute I use it, instead of getting a little more money after 1 year of usage… But then again It is a completely different thing if you need a case/cover for protection (I’d never run around with an Iphone without case, because I now that I will probably break after the first drop)
That said, I will look at some drop tests and see if I can find a cover that doesn’t make it look completely hideous.
Corning Gorilla Glass 2 on the front and the back should protect it from normal use and scratchs. I’m very zealous with my phones (after 2+ years with my Nexus S, it fell down on the floor only twice)
I really hope Google puts out a range of accessories for this thing and that the wireless charger is available immediately. Nexus phones have by and large been screwed for accessories the last few years. I really need a car dock so I hope they come out with that as well. Or at least someone needs to make a Qi compatible universal car dock. I’d take that if I couldn’t get a specific N4 one.
I agree man. I want this phone, but I need a car dock. The official ones Samsung has brought out for Galaxy phones are awesome, so I hope there is something similiar. I don’t want some cumbersome universal one.
A Qi dock would probably help clean things up for sure.
I agree with the specific car dock for it. However, I after some research I bought one Exogear Exomount dock for my cell. Seems good, and will work with my future Nexus 4.
I have a dock that fits both my Nexus 7 and my E4GT. LoL!! It stretches out. I have the dock portrait style for my Nexus 7 and landscape for my E4GT. Cost $15. I don’t fully understand what an official OEM dock would provide over a universal one. The only thing I see is design purposes.
The advantage is significant. The ones that Samsung brought out for the galaxy series had the port for charging built in, so it kept things clean and the phone just popped in and out.
But wouldn’t the dock need to be connected to a source of energy? The only thing I see is not having your cord connected to the phone. LoL!! So…? Not so significant. Sorry…
Incipio, Sedio, and Urban Armor make the best hybrid cases for the S3 (imo), so if I were interested in this lg phone, those would be the only ones I’d be on the lookout for to be released.
bumper cases have always been a bit of an oddball…
I can vouch for Incipio. Protected my Galaxy Nexus quite nicely through a few tough falls before I decided to be a tool and take it off.
Edge to edge??? All i see is Bezel. I honestly think the galaxy nexus looks better, it has less bezel and is thinner. The biggest fault that i find with this phone is all the wasted space at the bottom. Big empty chin. WHY is that there?!?! At least move the screen down lower for the Nav buttons.
Grab a galaxy nexus. Watch a YouTube video. Where do your hands go? Playing a game in landscape. Where do your hands go?
there is actually a notification light down there :D
Ok. So no bezel is obviously a dumb idea. I’m going to try and understand your point, though. Do you know a phone or device that has a reasonable amount of bezel? I really want to see what you consider a good amount of bezel.
P.S. Trolls will say the LG G2X. LoL!!
The raised edge is my favorite selling point here. I’d buy anything to keep my device glass from breaking. I have the worst luck with that.
My thing is, as long as a case/skin won’t interfere with the usage of the wireless charging dock, I’m more likely to get a full skin as opposed to a “bumper”; I could really care less about having the glass back of the phone exposed unless it’s necessary to charge it. Then again, I have to take the skin off my GNex every night in order to charge it anyway, so it really could be a non-issue.
No LTE… No Thank You
Still up in the air here.
I REALLY want a nexus device, but the fact that it’s HSPA+/GSM only puts a huge damper on that plan. Would have to give up my grandfathered unlimited data with Verizon.
I could switch to T-mo to keep unlimited data and actually save ~$20 a month, but their coverage in my area is mostly 2g. I would probably get good speeds at work and home, but the instant you hit the highways to go visit family or find a hiking trail, 2G is all you get. And that could be a big problem when using GPS or searching for gas/restaurants.
Maybe I should pick up a developer version of the RAZR Maxx HD and hope that Motorola pushes updates to it as sort of an “unofficial” Nexus device? It’ll cost a LOT more money, but the coverage here is just so much better than AT&T or T-Mo. If they forced me away from my unlimited plan, I’d move to T-mo in a heartbeat.
I would not count on the Maxx HD being an “unofficial” Nexus device, the Maxx HD 2 will be announced within 6 months and you will be lucky to even get a Key Lime Pie update.
I like having the edges raised to protect the screen, cases should only be required for hard use scenarios.
This is yet another thing I don’t like about the new nexus,
I’m glad I wasn’t waiting on this, cos I’d have been PISSED! :(
Can someone confirm that this phone has NO LTE and NO expansion slot? Big time fail if true on both counts.
You should know by now. If you don’t go to the official page.
I’m not sure I understand. That is certainly not edge to edge. This is more like edge to edge. http://www.cellphonebeat.com/samsung-galaxy-s4-announced-mwc-feb-2013.html
there will never be a phone like that. too impractical. everything is crammed too tight. u gotta have top and bottom bezel. components gotta be there. but the nexus4 has very little side bezel
You nexus guys are as bad as ifans!
This phone is a step back in too many areas
& Dan talks about edge to edge display?
Galaxy s3,one x, has edge to edge..
This phone has no sdcard a max of 16gb which we all know is not enough anymore
Not to mention no LTE. OK its unlocked so 3G is what you get.
Hey this is a great phone for cheap but in no way is it top tier. We all question if wireless charging will even work. I’m very bummed because this could have been a good LG phone but no sdcard is unacceptable!
Yeah, it is sad how this this site openly mocks Apple in its article titles, but then fails to point out the huge flaws in the newest flagship model by Google. Pretty poor form…and I’m 100% pro Android.
Since when doesn’t this site point that out? All I see is article after article mentioning the tradeoffs and comment after comment doing the same
Ffs its a nexus device. When will you people learn Google doesn’t dig sd cards anymore.
Neither of those 2 phones has an essential to edge display, especially the Galaxy S3. It’s not huge, But NOT edge to edge.
SD Card = slow phone
4G = heavy battery drain
16 Gigs – Stop crying, it’s plenty of space
I think this phone is perfect … maybe use a bit more aluminium, but thats it!
I’ll decide how much is plenty, thanks.
Buying the 16GB as soon as it is available, already have a buyer for my HSPA Gnex.
The CPU and camera are what sold me. Not too happy about LG, but I figure I’ll give them a chance since Google was involved in the engineering.
Check this video out from the Verge: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66-4uMQqerA
Gives a great view of the phone and the tablet, as well as the 4.2 features.
No bumper for me though…
Regardless of what covers and cases Google offers directly, there will be a plethora of cases and what not from places like Seidio and Otterbox, just like most phones. I do hope that Google has their own line of Nexus 4 accessories to chose from on day one, though, as third party accessories are hardly ever available immediately.
Google* “we didn’t provide lte on the new nexus but here’s a bumper accessory” lmao
ummm wait… so there’s glass on the front AND back??? Ummm… I guess LG wasn’t paying attention to the iPhone4/s
Failed drop testing on 9 of the edges, corners and faces. Cover up the chrome!
google couldn’t care less about this device they just put in a couple of nice features to keep the hardcore nexusites sweet and then said with the rest “do what the heck you like” with the rest. It shows how ‘proud’ they are of their new ahem ‘flagship’ device by not even bothering to rescedule the launch party. I may still get it though but as yet my Network haven’t yet picked it up and the ones that have are very poor in their data plans – 1gig allowance is deemed high usage. My current Network gives me 3gig per month or Unlimited for extra £3 per month.
I want a wireless charger for my car! No more cables, connecting and disconnecting on my phone.
I will wait for the kinks to be worked out first.
Oh bruddah.
people complaining about no sd card has to look at the google badging. google is about the cloud. Google wants your music, pictures, documents and everything else on the cloud…. look at the chrome book. I’m all for this device. I need one for VZW though…. Or I’m going to AT&T. I need coverage.
The smooth, curved edges of the display aren’t a whole lot different than what you find on the One X, which has turned out to be pretty durable.
The Lumia 800 did something similar as well, also no issues.
If it’s Gorilla glass, why bother? I’ve dropped my Galaxy S Vibrant several times, never used a case, and the screen is still day-it-was-bought smooth. Gorilla glass is cool like that. :-)
(The video from the Verge someone else posted includes Duarte saying that it’s Gorilla glass front and back.)
The Verge guy showed his fell off of a table and has a small crack already on his review device, so it might not be as cool as we’d like.
can’t wait