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While those interested in buying the Nexus 5 from the Google Play Store have been able to do so since day one (October 31st), those waiting to buy the device on Sprint or T-Mobile have had to wait. Customers with the Now Network will only have one more day before they can grab the thing for $150 after signing a new two-year contract, but T-Mobile’s customers are still in the dark as to when they can expect a launch.
TmoNews has helped shed some light on said darkness, though, as leaked documents suggest Magenta will be looking to launch the Nexus 5 November 20th. We still don’t have a price to cling onto just yet, but we imagine T-Mobile’s Simple Choice installment-based payments will make the initial cost of entry very easy to swallow.
With that, some of you may be wondering why the heck anyone would want to purchase a Nexus 5 outside the Google Play Store — after all, you can buy the device starting at just $350 without having to sign any agreement of any sort.
For some, it will be the ability to jump in with a much lower initial cost. For others, getting it through the T-Mobile store saves them a headache over the hassle of having to get it from the Play Store and do whatever they need to activate it. (It’s not much of a hassle, really, but everyone is different.)
Whether it’s a good idea to get it through T-Mobile versus the Google Play Store remains to be seen. For one, if the device is more expensive from T-Mobile’s shelves then it would make little sense to pass up the Google Play Store offering (unless you really can’t spring $350-400 at the point of sale).
On the other hand, if stock in the Google Play Store doesn’t normalize in a decent amount of time, some people might be willing to pay the extra bit to go with T-Mobile’s offering (they’re currently buying units on eBay for higher than market value, after all). There are a lot of unknowns, but for now we’re just happy knowing that the wait shouldn’t be too long to bear.
So T-Mobiles version is just gonna be locked? compared to play store version. No other differences?
We’re not sure yet. Should know more near release.
All previous Nexus devices were not locked (expect for the whole stupid Verizon Galaxy Nexus thing) so imagine that wouldnt change with the N5
I beg to differ…I think. My Nexus 4 that I got through T-Mobile was locked by them I believe BUT no bloatware was added so a quick ROOT/bootloader unlock and you’ll be holding the exact same device you’d get through the Play Store.
i had to “unlock” my play store nexus 4 as well.
Carrier/SIM lock and bootloader lock are not the same.
http://www.androidcentral.com/unlocked
Sounds like you cleaned up your N4 pretty well, but I remember seeing at least one T-Mo app on the version they were selling.
The Verizon GNex was/is bootloader unlockable. Unless you’re referring to carrier lock, in which case, yes it’s locked, but CDMA devices virtually always are. The Sprint versions of the GNex and Nexus S were also carrier locked.
I hope they allow you to remove all their carrier bs and make it at least like the HTC and Samsung Google editions.
The S4 Google Edition is the best “Google Experience/Nexus” phone available at the moment, price aside. Four batteries and a sweet camera.
Once you get the phone you can do whatever you want. I got my Nexus 4 through TMO because I just couldn’t afford to spend $300+ all at once because I’m a poor technology JUNKIE that buys all the latest toys. ROOT’D my TMO Nexus 4 the SAME DAY I bought it from them and haven’t looked back once. Now I’m thinking about maybe using JUMP to get this Nexus 5 (even though i LOVE my Nexus 4 right now) so I’ll I’d need to do it un-ROOT it with my ROOT Toolkit and it would be ready to trade in. Simple as that my friend
It’s too bad even T-Mobile couldn’t offer a better price. Glad I got mine Monday!
Another possible advantage to purchasing in a TMo store is you can elect to participate in their Jump program. Then, if you don’t like the device, you can switch. Can’t participate in Jump if you BYOD.
True, but if you BYOD, you can always get another BYOD whenever you want, you’re just going to have to pay full price of course.
For me it’s Jump and the device protection that comes included with it. Unless they botch the pricing or add carrier crapware, I’ll be buying it from Tmo.
All I had to do after recieving my White 32GB from the play store was go to a Corporate Sprint store with a repair facility and ask for a Free SIM card to activate my Nexus. Apparently the stores with repair centers have priority over recieving Extra SIMs. Therefore, after leaving off the last digit off from the IMEI Sprint found the phone in their system just fine. They popped in a SIM and Ive been rockin since Yesterday.
No need to get it from Sprint.
Only reason I bought the Nexus 4 through T-Mobile was because it was out of stock in the play store till who knew when and it was only $150 to get it in my hand day of purchase. Yeah I’m paying more money for it in the long run which I wouldn’t do again but I can understand why.
m.digitaltrends.com/mobile/t-mobile-touts-simplicity-but-its-new-jump-plan-is-designed-to-deceive/
Just something to consider…
Article is almost accurate. Jump includes insurance so you get the phone fixed prior to exchanging it….no penalty.
which is why i think T-Mobile jump is the best in the market…not everyone changes phones every 6 months..so for those who do keep phones longer, the insurance is pretty handyhandy.
I kind of want it. Keep blowing speakers on my HTC One.
Youre better off owning a Galaxy S2 than a Nexus 5… Everyone thats not a racist knows this.
I got my nexus 5 on Monday and I could not be happier. Even my boss at work (whom which I’m in a playful fight against apple)really liked it. He is an avid photographer and thought the camera with edit and screen were nice. Now he wants one.
I will never but another carrier phone again And you can always buy third party insurance for your phone. T-Mobile charges you anyways. LOVE MY NEXUS 5 and gave my bf my nexus 4 which was also awesome. I’ve had many many many android phones and guesses what most suck with all that bloatware. Nexus is the way to go.