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There’s been a lot of finger pointing when it comes to the “failed” launch of the Nexus 4. You may remember the whole fiasco that involved the crashing of the Play Store on release day and many would-be Nexus 4 buyers being left out in the cold for months on end. Some placed the blame on Google for not anticipating obvious high demand by ordering enough units. Others pointed the finger at LG, saying they weren’t producing enough units to fulfill orders.
Today, we’re getting LG’s side of the story and according to them… nobody’s to blame. In an interview with a Korean website, an LG official was quoted as saying Nexus 4 production proceeding “without a hitch” at their plant in Pyeongtaek and that there is no problem with supply. This is in contrast to what Google has been saying, you remember they were once quoted as saying N4 shipments from LG were “scarce and erratic.”
So exactly who’s telling the truth? Well, it could be both of them. Sounds like LG is making exactly as many Nexus 4’s as they want to. Why is that? It may have something to do with the fact that LG is making so much less profit off of the Nexus 4 — offered at an extremely low $300 off-contract — when compared to their $700 flagship like the Optimus G. Couple that with plans to unveil the Optimus G2 at Mobile World Congress 2013 and things are starting to make sense.
On a side note, you may have read rumors that LG and Google were teaming up again to launch a Nexus 5 to be unveiled at I/O. According to LG, these rumors are completely unfounded (of course) so don’t get your hopes up.
HTC, Samsung or Motorola should have been chosen to make the Nexus 4 not LG.
I think the problem was that Google asked OEM’s “Can you make a top of the line Android device and sell it for $350 in our store?” LG was the only one who stepped up to the plate.
Sounds like they just wanted early access to 4.2.
More power to ’em. Maybe working hand-in-hand with Google will give them the know-how they need to release timely updates.
I don’t think so look Samsung they stll suck at giving updates.
How do they suck? The galaxy sIII was one of the first with 4.1.2 (bar the nexus line obv)
IMO if someone’s selling it at loss, it’s Google, not LG.
Do we know that’s what happened?
What exactly is LG doing wrong, that HTC or Samsung or Motorola would have done differently?
Good question… Only thing I can think of is better display tech?
LG has a better display than any Samsung or Motorola device. The only displays that are better right now are HTC’s.
I disagree. Putting my GNex next to my Nexus 4. GNex wins. Color saturation is way better. Can’t beat samsung screens. Imho
Dude, are you serious? Your going to compare a dim blue pentile display to a true hd ips display? Every tech site rated the DNA’s screen as the best, followed by the One X then the Nexus screen. Who do you think has been making these pretty “Retina” displays for Apple? If Sammy comes out with a true RGB screen it will be something special.
Haven’t seen the DNA nor do I care. I’m one of those pure nexus guys. I was simply comparing LG and samsung. Not impressed with the N4 screen is all. to be honest I dont give 2 shits what tech sites say. Tell me what you personally think. If you agree.. thats wonderful bud
I think the screen on my wife’s GS2 is terrible. I have to set the brightness up all the way to see anything. The blacks look great but the whites look blueish and all the colors are wrong. That being said she thinks her display looks better too.
I have noticed on my GN that it look like there are horizontal lines going across the screen that weren’t always there. I can see it especially when I click something new and a new activity opens up and the screen is white for a period of time. For a while I thought it might have been my eyes playing tricks on me, but I don’t think so. What could this be?
That’s normal on that phone. Samsung fixed it though by the time the gs3 came out. Whites are solid on the gs3 and note 2
I agree with you. Can’t beat Amoleds…I like black to be black and always felt that LCD screens looked white after using samsung phones…it’s just my opinion.
I have a S3 and N4 and have compared the screens to each other many times. In stock form the N4 colors look washed out but if rooted you can use the faux123 app to raise the gamma levels and that gives you much more saturated colors on th e N4. Seems like LG didn’t calibrate the gamma before selling the N4.
I have a computer monitor that has been calibrated for accurate colors using a spyder display calibration tool and the N4 comes way closer to the picture quality of my monitor than the S3 does. I will admit that the S3 deep blacks and over saturated colors really wow the eyes more however the colors are far from accurate. The S3 destroys the N4 when it comes to the color black but its really only noticeable at night or when you’re in a dim lighted room. When outside during the day or in a place with brighter lighting the blacks on the N4 look very close to that of the S3.
The N4 wins when it comes to the color white. The whites on the N4 look brighter and more pure when compared to what you see on the S3. To be honest I thought the whites on the S3 looked fine until I got my N4 and compared them. I also noticed the N4 is easier to see outside and in bright rooms without the need to up the brightness settings when compared to the S3.
Both screens have their pros and cons. If you are usually in dim/darker surroundings and like very vivid colors then AMOLED with its inky blacks is the way to go. If you are outside during the day or are in places with brighter lighting a lot and like more accurate colors than the N4 has the better display. Just my 2 cents between the two screens.
The Note II is non-pentile, as are every smoked plus. I’m not a fan of over saturated colors. Thankfully, Samsung lets you pick your saturation level in settings. I had the Nexus 4. The screen is not impressive. It is very dim, and the colors are very muted. Their display on their phones, and the one they make for the iPhone is not the same.
The Note 2 is not true RGB. It has a red and green subpixel stacked on top of each other with a larger blue subpixel to the left and it has a very low pixel density.
It is RGB. You are trying to nit-pick. It may be only 267 PPI, bit it looks very crisp. The screen of the Nexus 4 is very muted in color. Every reviewer agrees.
It is not true RGB. RGB screens are exactly as the name implies. Red, Green and Blue lined up with each other. Not Red and Green on top of each other with a hugh Blue next to it. It makes a hugh difference in accurate color reproduction. The Note 2’s screen may look more colorful because it has more blue and amoleds have trouble has producing white. Its still decent but they definitely gimped on the pixel density for a 2012-13 phone.
And SHARP’s IGZO Displays.
I like upgrading my battery which you can’t do on the Nexus 4. Fragile rear glass panel and ugly iPhone looking chrome trim
that’s understandable, but you are operating under the assumption, that Google had nothing to do with the design/or features of this device. And that the other Manufacturers would’ve made something entirely different. If they put in a bid, its quite possible, the other manufacturers offered up even worse group of components than LG did.
Then this is not the phone for you. Perhaps you would prefer a flimsy plastic back instead of Gorilla Glass 2 and maybe you prefer Fisher Price plastic instead of chrome trim.
Flimsy plastic cover with battery access or (Non Gorilla) glass with no battery access that cracks upon sudden temperature change (look it up) or drop. Tough decision huh? Still hate that cheap chrome. I’ll keep my “Fisher Price” GNexus thank you and yes, I love swapping batteries when I deplete them. I rarely plug in my phone
I understand. The GNexus has a bad battery life. I would carry around a few batteries as well. I used to have to do that for my Evo. I got 16 hours of light/moderate use on my G with eco mode off.
Battery life is not an issue on my (GSM) GNexus. I get about a day and a half with good use but I hate having to be tethered to a cable when my battery runs low, even when I’m at home. Don’t get me wrong, the Nexus 4 looks like a sweet device (both looks and power wise) but I’m still not sure if I want to be stuck with a sealed battery and fragile back panel.
Unless you just have to have a Nexus I would wait for the GS4. It sounds like it will have everything you like plus LTE and a 1080p screen.
Official Samsung extended battery for $30.
I’ll get about 5 hours of screen time. If I’m not really using it much, I’ll get 2 days easy and still have somewhere around 20% left.
I guess you think a glass back is a good thing. It cracks just by putting it on a counter.
Happened to one guy and im not even sure I believe that story. If he had the Sprint or Asian version the camera sticks out. The glass wouldn’t even laying flat on the counter. I have the Asian bumper on mine so it wouldn’t happen anyway.
It happened to Kellex…
I actually like the screen on my N4 better than the GNex. The screen presents colors more realistic and natural to the eye which I prefer. The glass back doesn’t bother me because I knew I would get a case for the phone anyway.
I don’t understand why people are bashing one another over this phone or the galaxy nexus. This is a tech site, and most of the people who comment here usually make an informed decision when they purchase a mobile device. I think it was stupid of Google to make it glass giving the history of those two previous iPhones, but that’s what someone would have to be willing to deal with if they want Google’s latest flagship with timely updates. Just make your own decision about which phone you are going to buy and stop bashing others about their choice of phone.
I know people think I’m a hater but I hope this is LG’s last Nexus device. Clearly they didn’t care about their opportunity.
An opportunity to….. not make money? O_o
I think other companies would at least see that enough devices are produced. Nobody forced them to make the next Nexus, I’m sure their not losing money. They know their production costs down to the penny. LG didn’t step up to the plate as an act of charity.
Totally agree. I ultimately blame Google as they have shown time and time again that they are totally useless at selling products. Total fail and Google should be blamed cos we are not buying from LG, we are buying from Google. No nexus 4 in stock and no updates to customers but they have the balls to say check back soon on the site….what a joke.
I totally agree…Google should have known better. LG is making “pennies on the dollar!!” The Koreans are working very, very hard on this phone!!!
people seem to expect OEMs to be as much of a fanboy of android as they are. They should be giving away phones for free.
Lol. Maybe that’s why everyone was happy when Google bought Motorola. They thought they’d give away free phones :p
No one asked Google to sell the phone for $350. if google wanted a lower price to sell more phones than they would expect LG to meet that demand or they would have just went to samsung or HTC and sold it for $600. Also I do not see Asus complaining that it is “not making money” and they are able to manufacture enough Nexus 7s.
The opportunity to gain notoriety and praise. You seem to forget that before Samsung started making Nexus devices, they were as “hated” as LG. Look at them now. LG is going to lose more money by pissing people off. People that wouldn’t normally give LG a second look, may have if they had played their cards right.
Samsung became the #1 Android manufacturer because of the Galaxy S range. It has nothing to do with them producing 2 Nexus devices (Most people have no idea Samsung made the Nexus S or Galaxy Nexus)
My point is that before the Nexus phones, most people despised Samsung. It’s because of them that people were willing to buy Galaxy S phones.
Most people despised Samsung because they made bad phones before the Galaxy S.
The Galaxy S was a bad phone. It wasn’t until the S II that they had a good Galaxy S.
Tim is right. Having the Nexus S not only provided legitimacy amongst the hard core, but it also gave them early access to Android builds that allowed them to one up the competition in terms of features and updates. The Galaxy Nexus is the only reason why the GS3 got Jelly Bean as fast as it did. You forget the horrid reputation of the GS1.
At least Samsung kept the Nexus in stock. People may not like Samsung’s phones but no one likes LG’s inability to manufacture a sufficient number of phones.
I highly doubt they make no profit. A smartphone costs around 200 to make for a high end one. Even Asus is making profit with Nexus 7 and that has much tighter margins. This could have sold 10mill+ and really put LG back up there.
Exactly. The Optimus G is a carrier phone, and they definitely aren’t paying LG anything close to $700 per device. The profit for LG per handset is probably not drastically different between N4 and the Optimus G. Besides, it’s an advantage for LG to sell what their manufacturing capacity is, rather than the market demand for an individual phone model, and if the N4 is an avenue for them to do nothing more than sell assembled extra parts, then they’re missing a financial opportunity by not taking advantage of it.
Exactly right. Smartphone manufacturers have been charging 50%+ margins that were the norm in the Treo days, when you had to spend $30 million to develop a new phone that might sell a million or so units if it took off.
We’re headed for standard consumer electronics margins of 20-30%, which means that a $180 BOM should get you a $349 SRP, and that’s for the newest models.
Nokia recognized this when they dropped prices for their Lumia line. Google and LG recognized this, and would be making money if they could make the phones (though LG could be shifting scarce components from Nexus 4 to more profitable products). Apple will resist this for a while until they’re forced to join in.
ok, ok, I was going to stay out of this, but your post is just too much. You say they could have sold 10 million plus, yet a few weeks ago actual sales were around 375,000. So even with huge production increases where would the sales have come from? The Nexus 4 isn’t even on the radar for the average buyer. I talk to people about phones all the time and have yet to even hear the Nexus 4 name mentioned once except on this and similar sites.
I understand your enthusiasm, but your not facing the facts. Cutting corners to sell a cheap phone or tablet gives you just that. A cheap phone or tablet and its pretty obvious not many are buying even if it were more readily available
Less speculation, please, and more news.
Or do you have evidence that LG is not making money on the Nexus 4? I have read others speculate that LG is getting a normal-sized cut and it’s Google that’s passing on their take. It’s just that $200-300 of carrier mark-up that’s missing from the price tag, after all.
I see it more as an opportunity to wash the bad opinion of LG products. So while not making lots of cash off the N4, it stands to help them in the long run. but not if people can’t get their hands on it.
We don’t know whether or not they’re making money. Until we do we shouldn’t assume such things.
LG is not winning any fans by playing this way.
Wow….guys i gotta say that the onlyOEM that I wouldn’t want building the next Nexus is Sony and I promise I’m not just saying this because you guys said you liked it. I’ve never liked Sony and I don’t think a Sony Nexus ANYTHING would do well BUT I am willing to listen and I’m hoping for some feedback. Ok…so you want an Xperian Nexus…why? When it comes to Nexus devices I’ve used Samsung and HTC so how would Sony improve their own nexus devicew or whatwould Sony do to make the next best Google flagship phone? Looking forward to your responces
Sony is the only company which is making waterproof phones and contributing loads to AOSP more than any other Android partner.
So yeah, Sony deserves the next Nexus no matter what you say.
Sorry, gotta disagree with you on Sony. I’ve owned a few SE phones over the years and the hardware has been pretty much bulletproof for me. Where they’ve failed in my opinion is delivering software updates. Them building a Nexus phone would be the best of both worlds.
I hope its not samsung motorola or LG, samsung uses cheap feel materials, motorola hass been on a exclusive for verizon and frankly their devices are ugly, LG obviously doesn’t give a crap about the Nexus program to be messing it up like this, Maybe google should think out of the box and make the device itself so that these brands are non issues.
Dude, Motorola IS Google.
Google owns motorola mobility, yes I know but obviously google isn’t in the hardware design business. So they would more than likely use some left over designs from previous devices and the past device have been ugly
an LG official was quoted as saying Nexus 4 production proceeding “without a hitch”
… Wake up dude? I really hope they ditch LG next time. There’s nothing about the actual device to really complain about for $300, so LG didn’t fail quality wise… unless we’re talking about cameras. I really hope they choose someone other than LG or Samsung next time. (personally not a fan of Samoled, so thats why I include samsung).
Maybe Nokia can show us what its got?
The cameras are good. Its the software that sux. There is a fix on the xda forum already by Epic.
This is why Motorola will start to be the OEM for future Nexus phones, in my uneducated opinion. There’s just nothing in it for anyone else.
Especially considering it’s owned by Google.
That was kinda my point. And by ‘kinda’ I mean ‘precisely’.
I’m waiting for Xperia Nexus 5!
I would love to see a Sony Nexus phone.
LG have delivered maybe the best droid to date. That said, they seemed to be either having limited capacity, or, as pointed out, needed to safeguard Optimus G. Whatever the reality, it’s a sad situation for Android users and consumers in general.
The same thing was said about Samsung with the G-Nexus and the GS2 that was released a few months b4 the G-Nexus….I’m sure if Samsung wanted the G-Nexus to sell a lot more then what it did they could’ve convinced Google to put a better camera and better speakers….I’m content with the camera since I don’t print pictures that I take with my phone, but the rear speaker is a different story. The volume is damn too low. As for the camera the pictures and videos look a lot better when you see them on other devices. I personally believe that Samsung could’ve done a better job on the G-Nexus. At least use the same camera module that they used on the GS2 and of course leave the software up to Google.
All of those foolishness of “constrained” supply could and should be stopped immediately once Google gets Moto in order. Moto should make their own Blurified hardware (which I personally think is great in the post-ICS era) and have complimentary Nexus devices sold alongside. Let the carrier-branded devices rake in the big $ and let the low-margin Nexii have the halo effect and goodwill from the enthusiasts. It’s a win-win scenario.
And if the carriers balk at it….simply get Moto to produce the new Nexus devices and brand ’em as Google hardware so no one’s feelings are hurt. Just like what MS is doing with their Surface tablets.
The “$700” price tag is not what LG sells the phone for as that is just the MSRP. Realistically given their low standings and past smartphone sales they’re probably selling it closer to $350 to the wireless carriers.
It is still likely more profit than what they are getting from the Nexus but close enough that there shouldn’t be any sabotage on LG’s part.
I really can’t blame LG, I blame Google leadership on this.
Buying my Galaxy Nexus when Google lowered it to $349 was the best move. Too bad about the Nexus 4.
LG isn’t and shouldn’t be concerned about profit. This is their chance to redeem themselves to the “Android enthusiast” market who know them for their lackluster hardware and just absolutely terrible software.
This is a huge opportunity because I don’t know about you guys, but I am always asked what manufacturer/phone people should buy and lately I’ve been saying “for now, get Samsung but I’m sure the one after that you’ll want LG”
LG is weak and this whole Nexus thing only proves it.
To all you people saying Samsung has better displays because they are Super AMOLED and “vibrant”….shut it. I’ve had my nexus 4 for a week now and I will say right now without a doubt that display is much crisper and true to life with looks. My Gnex screen that I am typing on right now looks disgusting. Nothing looks right as far as color reproduction goes. Absolutely nothing. Except for the blacks for obvious reasons. At first I thought it looked washed out but now I’m 100000% sure that I just got used to cartoon looking colors. No thank you. But the S4 is gonna be a beast lol
Thank you… The screen on my Optimus G (same as N4) looks better than any display that I’ve used last year from Samsung or Motorola. HTC comes at a close 2nd but the screen on this is a beast hands down
You shut it, I look at both devices daily gs3 and n4 and the colors of samsung devices are just unmatched. Nexus 4’s display is not more appealing to look at point blank, it is dry it is dry it is dry!
How can you say “people may not like Samsung phones”? Samsung is the #1 vender for Android!
True. I like Samsung phones quite a bit but lots of people hate plastic for some reason.
“Sounds like LG is making exactly as many Nexus 4’s as they want to.” Since when did LG dictate to Google how many phones they would make ?
If there is “no problem with supply” then why are there so many orders outstanding ? What a load of BS.
You’d think they’d sell as many as possible regardless of the profit, they’re not really known for their quality phones, and this is a great phone so it could change peoples minds about them.
I am sure google is not able to make single $ profit with Nexus 4 or may be they are selling phone at some loss. So they are not maintaining the supply of the phone. obviously it’s googles fault.
They are counting on people buying from Google Play Market
God No, NOT LG again…. Epic Fail!
LG should never get a Nexus production again. To say “without a hitch” when the Play Store has been out of stock for weeks is an absolute contradiction. Besides, the Nexus 4 looks and feels cheap. LG should stick to washers and dryers.
How many did Google order? Have you even held one? I doubt it. I have the Optimus G and my buddy has the Nexus 4. The Nexus feels even more premium than the G. There is nothing cheap about it. Maybe you should actually touch one or at least read some reviews.
Well said it gets annoying to see these complainers who obviously have no experience with the products they think are “cheap”.
Yeah mine feels like a luxury item to me. I’ve had a bunch of devices too and this one feels the best.
I think that they are still trying to fill in orders for all of the Google employees… I mean it sounds silly but it could be true… Look at how many people they employ…
Correct me if i’m wrong, but wouldn’t the next Nexus phone only be called the Nexus 5 if it has a screen of 5+ inches? Otherwise, why are the tablets called the Nexus 7 (7″ screen) and Nexus 10 (10″ screen)?
Why do so many of you journalist spew this BS about the profit margin being lower? Google is off setting the price. LG is getting exactly the amount of profit that they agreed to. Google is offering it at lower than what it should cost essentially with it being the Optimus G components it costs a similiar price to build. Furthermore the lack of paying licensing for official LTE support and I am sure other measures to cut some other price aspects. I am sure LG would love to sell as many of these as possible.
getting the same amount of profit they agreed to, and getting the same amount of profit as they would on an Optimus G is two different things. Not that i care either way, i’m just saying.
Yeah dude is making some assumptions here. We don’t know what they’re making.
Google should never again use LG for any other Nexus product. They have been awful. I truly hope that the rumors of a motorola-made Android superphone pan out to be 2013’s replacement for the Nexus 4.
Still no Sony
Did someone say Nexus 5??!!!??! Where can i get one?!?!!? LOL
I hope someone else gets the next Nexus. LG’s quality is garbage. Both N4s I bought have light bleed, just like all the LG G2x’s I went through… I’d be fine with Samsung again but HTC, Sony or Motorola would be welcomed over the garbage LG puts out.
It’s almost impossible to get a LCD screen with no light bleed. Samsung LCD HDTVs are notorious for having light bleed.. It’s just one of the many cons of LCD technology that is hard to control.. Basically it’s like a light bleed lottery when it comes to buying tech that uses LCD. Some LCDs will have more light bleed than others even on the same product..
By the way I had a HTC Sensation and Motorola Triumph and they both had light bleed.. Thankfully my N4 only has a small amount of light bleed near the top but it’s barely noticeable.
I don’t give a s**t what kind of screen is used as long as it looks good to my old ass eyes.
Now who said HTC was the only one putting out devices 6 months later with a slight spec bump. Come on.
I don’t get all this bickering about screens. I have used all of the major phone players devices and it all boils down to a taste difference between color accuracy and appeal to the eye. Samsung screens (S3 and Note 2 included) do not have accurate color representation or pure whites. In the Note 2 and S3 the cyan hue has toned down compared to the last generation but it still exists. Also, the rich blacks are great in the right instance but terrible if the photo you took doesn’t have much detail in a dark background because on a Sammy screen the background will just appear solid black and you will lose the background entirely. On the GNex it is the same thing. The N4 does not have the same false color saturation which is why people that are used to the SAMOLED displays say “its washed out”.. It actually isn’t though. The N4 shows very good true color representation on screen but does that make it better? Only if that is what you want.
I work with color in screens and inks for a living and have compared many device screens to many other devices. The truth is everyone will have their opinions but at the end of the day it all boils down to what looks best to each individual consumers eyes.
Its cute that LG is stating that production is going as planned… But where the hell are all the Nexus phones on the Google play store? I’m not heading over to T-Mobile just to get one for more money. If people can get 20 of them to sell on eBay, then what the hell is up with the play store being out of stock?