Nexus 4 Review by Vincent Nguyen (Nov 2012)
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Google is up to its fourth Nexus smartphone, and the LG Nexus 4 faces a very different mobile world from the heady days of the Nexus One. Back then, Google’s Nexus led the field in specifications, a deliberate kick to manufacturers to be more imaginative with their Android devices. The Nexus 4, however, faces ambitious and best-selling Android phones (not to mention the iPhone 5, and the launch of Windows Phone 8) that are already capable and compelling. Does the new Nexus have a place in the mobile market? Read on for our full review.
Wrap-up
The LG Nexus 4 and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean are a very strong combination. LG’s flagship hardware is capable of a smoothness we’ve only really seen hinted at with the effects of Project Butter until now; on the S4 Pro chipset it simply flies. Meanwhile, the gradual refinement of Android itself is more than welcome, and though Photo Sphere is undoubtedly a gimmick, features like Gesture Type make a noticeable difference to the usability of the phone.
That makes it all the more frustrating that so few people will have access to Android 4.2. With so few devices updated to even the previous version of Jelly Bean, the saga of Android fragmentation shows little sign of ending. Google’s strategy to address that appears to be more affordable hardware, though it remains to be seen whether the company can make unlocked devices popular in a way that it failed to manage at the start of the Nexus project.
None of that takes away from how capable the LG Nexus 4 is, however, and how keenly priced. Nexus devices are already appealing, being as they are at the front of the line for new Android updates, but until now there’s always been a compromise somewhere along the way. With the Nexus 4, the compromise is as small as its ever been, and the fact that it’s so very affordable makes it strongly recommended for those wanting the best of Android today.
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