By 
Huh. Will you look at that. It’s not breaking news by any means, but only a few minutes ago Google updated the device page of the Play Store with only a very small change to their Nexus 4 listing. Previously, the caption describing the Nexus 4 read “the best smartphone.” While that statement is definitely up for debate, today they’ve now updated the listing to read, “the first Google smartphone.”
At first glance it would appear they didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes, after all, HTC and Samsung who are sharing the same page with the Nexus 4. Then again, “first” doesn’t make much sense either. It’s widely accepted that the T-Mobile G1 (HTC Dream) was the first Google smartphone. One could even say the Nexus One — which was the first Nexus device — could possibly take that title as well. Just what’s going on in that head of yours, Google?
Thanks, Austin!
Nope, I doubt it. It says the “first Google smartphone,” which could be simply implying that the H1 Google Edition & S4 Nexus Edition is better than the N4 (which they are).
Or they are just implying that its the “First” Google smartphone to give the Nexus experience, not the SGS4 or the HTC One.
But why would they say that. It obviously wasn’t the 1st Nexus.
Read my last sentence once more please. It was the FIRST of the THREE they are CURRENTLY selling.
It is the first GED, and the first phone, to release and get updates out of the three on sale in the US.
That really doesn’t make sense….
Giving a NEXUS device the Google Experience…
If you understood my post, then it would make sense.
Google is selling 3 devices right now with the “Nexus Experience”, not the Google experience… WTF is the Google experience anyway????
Anyway back to my point, Google is selling 3 devices, the Nexus 4 SGS4 and HTC One. These 3 devices all have the Nexus Experience. Now I’m sure Google would want THEIR Nexus line, the Nexus 4, to sell much better than the other manufacturers, the SGS4 and the HTC One Google Editions.
So now instead of calling it the best, they are simply implying that it was the FIRST of the three that they are currently selling right now that have the Nexus Experience.
H1 is better, S4 is a piece of sh** samsung plastic crap on the side of the highway of life. HTC One isn’t Google branded, so it’s sad Google have basically abandoned Nexus fans and their own brand.
Definitely the moto X.
The Moto X isn’t a Nexus Device.
“Google” doesn’t necessarily translate to “Nexus.”
When they first are they talking price point, IOW first Google smartphone starting at $299? Might than mean we’ll see a second Google smartphone starting at $299?
To me this sounds like Google just spilled the price on the Moto X.
“Best smartphone starting at $299” is what it said (not just “best smartphone”). Now that they’ve qualified it further as “first Google smart phone starting at $299” (previous Google phones started at higher prices). They didn’t want to call it the best $299 phone anymore if the Moto X is arriving at $299, right? Hopefully.
The comma makes a difference in the meaning
Not really. I think everyone knows that the Nexus 4 is neither “the best smart phone” or the “first Google phone” so obviously it’s referring to the entire statement, not just the part in front of the comma.
I’m going to eat, grandma!
I’m going to eat grandma!
Ya there’s a difference.
EDIT: god damn it.. I’m going to change my profile pic.. someday! Someone take a picture of me.. I haz no friends..
Thank you. Have people forgotten basic grammer? A comma divides the sentence, changing the meaning. In the example above, with the comma, he tells grandma he will eat. In the second, he will be eating grandma (cannibal). Hence, the comma in the listing means, the first google phone. The price starts at 299.
Oh, right, cannibalism.
So have you. The correct spelling is grammar. I think that we’ve all forgotten as I’m afraid even my sentence structure is shaky.
You had me rolling sir. Well done and thank you.
Front facing camera?
Really. Allen is correct. Learn to comma.
Learn to period, dammit Anthony you are giving me bad ideas with that profile pic.
I agree with Ravy, you only have to look at their second sentence to know that Google’s grammar sucks. Free bumpers for life with a nexus 4! Also they are doing some unstated thing for a limited time (I wonder what it is!lol)
To me this sounds like you guys are reading into this way too much.
Not sure what they mean about the “first Google smartphone” either… Maybe, just maybe, this could be a sign of a slow departure of the Nexus line, since Google/Nexus Editions of flagship phones seem to be Google’s new tactic. But I really hope not.
It also could be making room for the Moto X as being the “best smartphone.” Time will tell.
Motorola X cannot be the best though, it is mid-range.
Google know!
Was the Nexus 4 the first smartphone where Google had a real hand in its design? Rather than just picking from prototypes offered by partners? I seem to remember them positioning the Nexus 4 along these lines…
I think you might be right here. Before, Google just used to give out Nexus stamp to the partner’s devices. This would relate to the new Moto’s logo, “Motorola, Google Complany”
T-Mobile G1? Google’s Nexus One? Hello? Google? Hello? Did you turn into a goldfish or something?
Interesting -_-
Dont be so stupid everyone. I am sure its mean the first smartphone being sold at playstore.
It wasn’t. The Galaxy Nexus was also sold through the Google Play Store.
well since there is a comma its a joined thought so its the first google phone, STARTING AT 299…. can’t forget that part
Guess they’re preparing for a 2nd Google phone to be sold at $299? Could it be the Moto X?
If the moto x is $299 then would that mean that the Nexus 5 will be more expensive than the Nexus 4 because it will be higher spec’d than the X, or there will be no 8gb N5 and the base will be $50 more than the X????
Ah, good point. I think we’ll see the same dilemma as last year where a LOT of phones will look overpriced when held up against the Nexus 5. Should be interesting.
Might they be leaving the numbered convention. Nexus One, Nexus S, Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4,.. Perhaps we will leave the numbering system and get a Moto neXus
Technically the Moto X would indeed be the first “Google” phone because it would be the first phone made by a company owned by Google. All of the rest of them were just “deals” from what I understand.
no, they were considered as part of Google’s nexus line, not as part of the manufacturers’ line of devices.
excluding the GE devices
Sorry man, I don’t understand what you’re saying. The Nexus devices so far have been made FOR Google, not by Google. The Motorola X will be made BY Google.
WE understand that Nexus devices were made “FOR” Google and not by Google, but we are talking about the Nexus 4, not the Moto X… So your post is invalid as to why it says “first Google smartphone”.
Right, I know. Other people were commenting on it as if it was some Moto X hints though, so that’s kind of what I was going for.
The Moto X is made by motorola, and will be advertised and sold by motorola. The nexus devices are made by other companies, but advertised and sold by Google. The Google experience are a different story
“Motorola a Google Company,” assembled in the U.S. (where’d they get that idea from?), Google to put over $500 million behind the phone. This phone is made by Google through Motorola, sold by Google through Motorola, advertised by Google through Youtube and Google advertisements, completely funded by Google. Motorola isn’t the old Motorola, it’s Google now, and they’re already making the shift.
makes sense.
hi
Yeah I read that as best phone you can get for $299…..and now the first Google phone you can get for $299….makes you think moto X is going to be at that price point…… Looking like similar specs + customizable + lots of advertising = $299
There was sorta this thing called a comma.
okay. the reason google rephrased is because it now has multiple smartphones on its page. they want to differentiate their NEXUS phone from Google PE phones.one could believe it means a new phone is coming out, as i would too, but the comma is there to further compliment the phone as not only being the first google smartphone, but also starting at $299. Us techies know that the Nexus 4 was not the first Google phone…but regular consumers dont know that and technically, it was the first Google Smartphone offered through the Play store from launch (the GalNex was only offered in the latter half of its existence) and the nexus one and nexus s were not offered in the PlayStore as it did not exist then…
You are right the Nexus one was not offered on PlayStore, but it was offered directly from Google on their website and was considered a googlephone. Google it! =D
Maybe (this is a new one) it is because there will be a Google Edition Motorola X, priced at 299 USD
nvm Chris already said thi
*this
disqus really needs the ability to edit comments on mobile
Can’t you edit your posts ?
I’m pretty sure it’s means a new Nexus. It’s sayin “first android smartphone, starting @ $299”. Which it was. It was the 1st time an android smartphone started @ cheap $300. That’s my opinion.
They like bunions
they started to sell Google edition of HTC ONE and S4, that is why….
What I’m wondering is why does Chris have an Incognito window open? Hmm…
Probably the same reason his first bookmarks folder is “torrents” :P
busted!
news flash – torrents aren’t illegal!
tinyurl.com/l3cselt
Spam
Uhhh…who is catching these small changes? I’m now imagining some guy pressing F5 every 10 minutes, scanning for typos and differences…
If you’re very interested in a price-drop, then you can get another web-site monitor a specific page and let you know if something has changed. I use that feature to monitor updates on XDA, because when you use a default notification mechanism, it’ll notify you about any change, but these monitoring sites allow you to specify a line, or even a word you’re desperately waiting to change (ROM Release number ;) ). Check out https://www.google.com/search?q=web+page+monitoring
maybe “best smartphone” is an Apple trade mark?
Why is this down voted? Bloody funny!
I like the torrents folder.
and incognito mode, what you up to there friend? :P
Don’t really see how a smartphone without LTE can be seen as “the best smartphone.”
if you simply take out one word out of a sentence, it can change the whole meaning.
They used to have it say, “The best smartphone, starting at $299.”
Now tell me where can you get an unlocked, fully paid off phone with the Nexus 4 specs or better for $299? You can’t, which is why they were able to say it was the best smartphone.
It didn’t say “The best smartphone starting at $299.” Commas have meaning.
Did I not have a comma in there? I believe I did. Check again. And no, I did not edit it.
EDIT: Also, if I did leave the comma out, it would pretty much mean the same thing. Just no pause when you say the sentence. The comma in this sentence doesn’t change the meaning of it in this case.
A comma would imply a different idea, it would mean, this is the best smart phone and it is starting at $299, the comma is a sub for the word “and”
But…..it has a comma.
To me that would suggest that the One and Galaxy variants of Google phones will probably be ongoing, but the Nexus line was the first Google phone line.
Finally! Someone other than I, understood what Google was saying!
Technically it is the First Google Play phone. I think that is what they are referring to and I really think they should change the wording.
So 4 is the new 1?
It was never a best phone for me at least..!!!
Where is that, it says “The new smartphone from Google. Totally Wireless.” To me, and seeing it says this. R.I.P nexus flagship, sure nexus will still be here but, HTC and Samsung flagships will rain the AOSP realm, bad move Google, sorta disappointed, I like your style, the S4 is ugly.