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Why You Should Wait for the Nexus 5

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Google just dropped the price of the Nexus 4, its current Nexus smartphone, making it even more attractive than it once was. However, as we get ready to enter the month of September, we feel like the smart play is to hold off on buying Google’s current Nexus and wait for Google’s new Nexus smartphone, rumored to be the Nexus 5.

Last October, Google announced the Nexus 4 in an announcement that was marred by Hurricane Sandy and its winds and rains that ripped through New York City. Instead of showing it off on stage, the company issued a brief press release detailing the major features of the Nexus 4 including its November release date. Of course, Google didn’t really need to say much more considering how extensive leaks had been.

Prior to its arrival in November, there was skepticism towards the device due to its small amount of on board storage and its lack of 4G LTE data speeds. Many people, including myself, wondered whether the Nexus 4 would be able to compete in an age where large file sizes and 4G LTE data speeds dominate the landscape.

Read: Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie: Everything We Know So Far.

The Nexus 4 is part of Google's new focus on design and build quality.

LG or Motorola or both could be making the Nexus 5 with Android 5.0.

Turns out, Google was on to something. The Nexus 4 went on to become a major success, maybe even bigger than Google itself imagined. The company seemed ill-prepared for the amount of people that flocked to the device as it immediately sold out on day one, then again two weeks later, never to return until February.

So why did the Nexus 4 sell so well? For one, it came with fantastic hardware including a gorgeous 4.7-inch display, speedy processor, solid 8MP camera, and a design that blew away cheap Android phones. Two, it had all the perks of a Nexus smartphone including vanilla Android, fast updates and an unlocked bootloader for customization. And three, it came with an extremely cheap price tag which has now been lowered down to $199 and $250 off-contract, unheard of in the smartphone world.

Needless to say, the Nexus 4 is one of the best Android options on the market today. But we don’t think you should buy it or the Galaxy S4 Google Edition or the HTC One Google Edition, two other Nexus-like phones.

Here’s why.

Why You Should Wait for the Nexus 5

Those looking at the Nexus 4 are likely looking at its low cost, its good hardware and its vanilla software. Those looking at Google’s HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 likely want their hardware paired with vanilla software. And while they are appealing, we suggest holding out for a few weeks for Google’s new Nexus smartphone, or smartphones.

Not Long to Wait

The Nexus 4 arrived in November of last year.

The Nexus 4 arrived in November of last year.

We don’t know when the new Nexus smartphone or smartphones will be out but we have some educated guesses.

Every year, Google releases a new Nexus smartphone and there are indications that 2013 will be no different. Rumors suggest a Nexus 5 from either LG, Motorola, or both. Rumors have suggested that we could once again see the Nexus smartphone announced in October and we absolutely think this is the case for a couple of reasons:

  • Google’s original Nexus 7 arrived in July, it was replaced this July by the Nexus 7 2 and the Nexus 4 was announced in October.
  • Rumors have all pointed to Q4 which consists of October, November and December.
  • December seems way too late given that Google has already confirmed a new Nexus 10 tablet and it will likely want that, and the Nexus 5, to come out before the end of the holiday shopping season, ahead of Black Friday, to compete with the iPad 5 and iPhone 5C, Apple’s rumored cheap iPhone.

September is only just beginning meaning consumers likely have about eight weeks before the new Nexus 5 smartphone comes out. In the scheme of things, that’s not that long. And even if the Nexus 5 isn’t up to par, the Nexus 4 will still be available, possibly for cheaper, when the new Nexus smartphone does come around.

That low price isn’t going anywhere so why not wait and see what the Nexus 5 is all about as it’s likely going to have some big improvements over the Nexus 4.

LTE

Maybe the biggest upgrade that the Nexus 5 could feature is 4G LTE. One of the biggest flaws on the Nexus 4 is its HSPA+ connectivity. Yes, HSPA+ can be fast but 4G LTE is the future and it’s a standard that is found across all flagship devices in 2013 not called Nexus 4. And while we can’t confirm LTE for the Nexus 5, there is a very, very good chance that it will come on board. The proof lies in the new Nexus 7.

Last year’s Nexus 7, like the Nexus 4, came with HSPA+ cellular data, not LTE. This year’s Nexus 7 however is about to arrive with 4G LTE connectivity on board. This will allow it to pull down extremely fast data speeds, something that is essential for a device with a 7-inch form factor and even more essential for a smartphone.

One of the main reasons why people own smartphones is to be able to perform a bunch of “smart” tasks while on-the-go, tasks like email, watching a video and browsing the web. With LTE, those things are much faster and with the United States’ top carriers now boasting massive LTE networks, it’s hard to find an area without it.

If the Nexus 5 does have LTE on board, it will instantly be more attractive than the Nexus 4. So it’s worth saving that money and waiting for what appears to be the inevitable.

Carriers

Will the Nexus 5 come to Verizon? Maybe.

Will the Nexus 5 come to Verizon? Maybe.

One of the other big flaws of the Nexus 4 is the fact that it isn’t available for Verizon, the nation’s largest 4G LTE service provider. The year before, the Galaxy Nexus came to Verizon’s 4G LTE network though that device was marred by issues and deemed a bad experience by Google.

The arrival of the new Nexus 7 not only brought LTE back to the Nexus program but it also brought Verizon back into the fold as well as the device is capable of running on usual suspects AT&T and T-Mobile but also on Verizon’s 4G LTE network.

Google wouldn’t confirm this compatibility for upcoming Nexus smartphones but Android’s Sundar Pichai did leave the door wide open for this time of network connectivity.

So while not confirmed, it looks like Google may remedy one of the Nexus 4’s most glaring misses when the Nexus 5 arrives.

Upgraded Hardware

The Nexus 4 has solid hardware, don’t get us wrong, but the Nexus 5 will almost certainly have better hardware. Year-after-year, we’ve seen hardware improvements in Google’s Nexus smartphone as the company looks to keep pace with technology. The Nexus 4 for instance possessed a high-end quad-core processor, HD display, modern looking design, good 8MP camera, and more.

Google’s Nexus 5 should improve upon most if not all of that as 1080p displays not rule the roost, next-generation quad-core processors have hit shelves, and camera technology has improved. We even saw Google’s Vic Gundotra claim that Nexus smartphones of the future would have better cameras.

So in just eight or so weeks, we should see a device that has all of the software perks of the Nexus 4 with hardware that makes the current Nexus pale in comparison.

Cheap Price

We haven’t seen any Nexus 5 price rumors emerge but it’s safe to assume that Google is going to keep pricing of its next Nexus smartphone extremely low.

Here are a few reasons why:

  • Nexus 4’s success.
  • IPhone 5C is expected to be extremely cheap, at least for an Apple product.
  • It kept the Nexus 7 price low once again.

We aren’t saying it will be as low as the Nexus 4 is right now but it should be pretty close to where it was just a week ago which is still extremely cheap for a smartphone, particularly one that should come with some high-end hardware features.

At the very least, it will be far cheaper than both the HTC One Google Edition ($599) and Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition ($650) which are insanely overpriced.

Longer Support

Finally, prospective buyers need to weigh whether or not it’s worth waiting eight weeks or what will likely be at least a year more of software support from Google.

Google does a great job of keeping its Nexus devices update for years, the Galaxy Nexus just got Android 4.3, but there comes a time where devices get left behind. A prime example was the Nexus S getting left behind on Android 4.1.

android-key-lime-pie-evolution-of-android-640x128-575x1151

Android 5.0 should come stock for the Nexus 5.

Because the new Nexus 5 is going to be one year younger than the Nexus 4, it should get at least one big update that the Nexus 4 doesn’t get. So is waiting eight weeks for a huge Android update and a year more of support worth it?

We definitely think so. And remember, even if the Nexus 5 is a flop, the Nexus 4 will still be out there, ready to pick up.

30 Comments

30 Comments

  1. Rafael

    08/30/2013 at 5:19 pm

    Are you sure the N4 will still be available from Google when the N5 is released? If I recall correctly last year they pulled the Galaxy Nexus off of the the play store when the Nexus 4 was rekleased.

    • Cecil Gabriel

      08/30/2013 at 11:16 pm

      There will be plenty good N-4 available when the 5 comes out… If you can live a good used one.

    • Lynn M. Stephenson

      08/30/2013 at 11:22 pm

      my neighbor’s mother-in-law makes $80 every hour on the internet. She has been out of a job for 8 months but last month her pay was $20054 just working on the internet for a few hours. hop over to here… https://1url.com/skyt

    • chazzmatt

      08/31/2013 at 2:44 am

      NO, the Nexus 4 will NOT be available when the Nexus 5 comes out. Google is not like Apple, they do not keep selling the previous year’s model.

      The whole history and philosophy of the Nexus smartphones are they are an annual developer showcase phone. When the Gen 4 Nexus 4 came out, the Gen 3 Galaxy Nexus disappeared. You could still find them from dealers on eBay, but at HIGHER prices than the Nexus 4! (because those dealers had to make a profit). With the Nexus 4 sold out for a couple months, it was the only way to get Nexus phone…

      • Yuri

        09/22/2013 at 12:43 pm

        true I had to buy my device from someone from inside. they said they wont bring it back since the new device is coming in.

  2. Cam

    08/30/2013 at 7:45 pm

    The nexus 4 had the appropriate hardware for LTE but as they didn’t want to make different versions to make the LTE work in different regions they just disabled it to make the device seamless across all regions. Those living in regions with the appropriate LTE can still enable LTE on their Nexus 4.

    • Van Perl

      08/30/2013 at 7:57 pm

      Heads up unless you stopped the last OTA, and did not allow the last software upgrade up can mess with the LTE, the last OTA crashed the function of LTE.

    • Van Perl

      08/30/2013 at 8:14 pm

      Google is lazy, and is not ready to produce 20 million phones.

      • mike

        08/31/2013 at 1:53 am

        and this is the second…

  3. Van Perl

    08/30/2013 at 7:54 pm

    The N5 will be mid range phone nothing more, maybe LTE, maybe a good processor, but that is speculation.

    Being a consumer of Google stuff, I want the best in Processor, battery, and YES, I need to have LTE. Also, the N5 must be available to all US Carriers, screw the foreigners.
    They can sneak through our southern border and get one and live here with no fear of deportation.

    • chazzmatt

      08/31/2013 at 2:45 am

      Nexus smartphones ALWAYS have specs that compete or beat the top tier smartphones on the market at the time. Don’t post ignorant comments.

      • Van Perl

        08/31/2013 at 4:22 am

        how much is your mom and make on the street , 20 bucks an hour

  4. Black Heron

    08/30/2013 at 8:04 pm

    Seriously, how fast does your phone need to connect to the internet? Almost nobody has an unlimited data plan so does it matter if your phone can eat all your data for the month in 8 seconds flat or it takes a whole 30?

    • chazzmatt

      08/31/2013 at 2:46 am

      Fallacy to believe faster connections eat more data. You can just do things quicker, instead of waiting 10 seconds for a page to render. You can look for directions and then GO.

  5. Van Perl

    08/30/2013 at 8:12 pm

    No one cares about your foreign plan, SPRINT has unlimted everything which I have had for 3.5 years, go back to you country. Do not try to enter our county, even though millions do each year and stay here without documentation, and no fear of deportation by our government, that cares little of our laws. Stay away with your very limited plan.

    • mike

      08/31/2013 at 1:52 am

      This is the must stupid comment I have ever seen on a forum… I bet you are 12, or 37 and still living with your mother…

      • Van Perl

        08/31/2013 at 4:25 am

        Answer, dead both 25 years, just love to screw with know it all jerks.

      • Van Perl

        08/31/2013 at 4:32 am

        So your up for selling on the street, whats your rate. ? Honey

        • fkVan Perl

          08/31/2013 at 10:34 pm

          Fk u douchebag are you blind? I don’t blame you. I would’ve been blind too if I had my face full of Google’s d**k

      • kisrita

        09/01/2013 at 10:10 am

        It’s the prepubescent offspring of the troll. Don’t feed them, they are limited to grow up to be a troll. Be sad for them since they can never be anything more.

  6. chazzmatt

    08/31/2013 at 2:47 am

    WRONG: “And even if the Nexus 5 isn’t up to par, the Nexus 4 will still be available, possibly for cheaper, when the new Nexus smartphone does come around.”

    NO, the Nexus 4 will NOT be available when the Nexus 5 comes out. Google is not like Apple, they do not keep selling the previous year’s model.

  7. avyakta1

    08/31/2013 at 6:33 am

    I have Nexus 4 that I got last year. Will keep it for at least one more year, likely two more years. Google has really raised the bar with Nexus 4 and it will be interesting to see if Nexus 5 can beat that.

  8. Woz Jobs

    08/31/2013 at 6:39 am

    HSPA+42 on T-Mobile is plenty fast in my area: consistently get between 11mb to 16mb. Faster than Sprint 4G LTE and ATT 4G LTE, at least where I live and work.

  9. Bo xilai

    08/31/2013 at 11:19 am

    I am getting the $200 nexus 4. This article has poor reasoning.

  10. Pete

    08/31/2013 at 11:10 pm

    The Nexus 4 will not be around for long. The $100 discount is a clearance sale. They don’t want any old stock around when the new model is introduced.

    Last year I waited until the Nexus 4 was introduced to decide whether I wanted to buy the Nexus 4 or the Galaxy Nexus, after getting a chance to compare them. However, the Galaxy Nexus was listed as “out of stock” for many weeks leading up to the introduction of the Nexus 4, and it was pulled from the Google Play store the day that the Nexus 4 was made available for sale. There was no overlap at all.

    When I saw that the Nexus 4 had a glass black and an LCD screen, I decided I would prefer the Galaxy Nexus with the more durable plastic back and OLED screen. Sadly, it could not be purchased from the Play store. It was available at several other merchants, but for hundreds of dollars more than the Nexus 4.

    I bought a Nexus 4 earlier this week when they slashed the price by $100. If the Nexus 5 is a great phone, I’ll buy one in August 2014 when it gets discounted for clearance.

    • Pragmatist

      09/01/2013 at 4:12 am

      Amen

    • RogerS

      09/01/2013 at 3:47 pm

      Agreed. Given the lead time for accessories such as cases and holsters, not to mention apps and custom software, it will probably be next spring before the Nexus 5 has the same level of support that the Nexus 4 enjoys today. At that point the “fire sale” for Nexus 5 will be less than 6 months away.

      I just bought a 16GB Nexus 4 for $250 from the Play Store as well. It will make a great spare for the Nexus 5 if I decide to buy one a year from now.

  11. cppcrispy

    09/01/2013 at 8:16 am

    It would be nice if the Nexus 5 includes support for Verizons LTE frequencies. Since Verizon is planing to release VoLTE sometime in the first half of 2014, CDMA support will not be needed. We might have to wait a few months before we can use it on Verizon.

  12. jasmineandy (@jasmineandy2)

    09/01/2013 at 12:09 pm

    my classmate’s mother makes $60/hour on the laptop. She has been out of work for six months but last month her pay check was $18269 just working on the laptop for a few hours. look here…..WWW.ℛush64.COℳ

    • Howie Doohan

      09/22/2013 at 6:03 am

      Fascinating, please tell us more.

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