Remember that workaround that gave Nexus 4 users LTE capabilities on their device? It left many wondering why Google didn’t simply enable it for everyone. The Snapdragon chipset had LTE included, which lends itself to a new rumor that along with the Nexus 5, we’ll see an LTE version of the Nexus 4.


As we do with all rumors, this is observed cautiously. According to Android Geeks, “A source close to the Mountain View-based giant who wished to remain anonymous” detailed to them Google’s plans for the launch of the Nexus 5 also includes an LTE Nexus 4, which will carry the same price point it originally came with: $299 or $349. The difference, aside from LTE, will be the storage options — according to their source, we’ll see either 16GB or 32GB with the Nexus 4 LTE, of course corresponding to the two price points.

This is also the reason for the Nexus 5 price hike, he says. The Nexus 5 is said to debut at $399 and $449, and come with the same 16 or 32GB storage options. Of course, that new device is said to pack a host of updated features, including a larger screen with better resolution and Snapdragon 800 processor.

We find both merit and fault with this rumor, and it leaves us conflicted. On one hand, it would be nice for Google to have offerings at multiple price points. For some, even $400 is out of the question, so keeping the tried-and-true $300 price point is a nice option to have.

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The questions come with this being new territory for Google. They traditionally leave the past behind them, and don’t bring back devices once they’ve reached the end of their cycle. The Galaxy Nexus was in stock right up until the Nexus 4 launched, but Google refused to make them available. Selling both the Nexus 4 and 5 is a bit Apple-esque. While not a bad option, it’s just not something we’ve seen from them before.

The Nexus 4, however, is still a great device, and we’ve seen versions of Android 4.4 running on it before. With all things Nexus, this could also leave current Nexus 4 owners with an updated version of Android and access to LTE. We can’t say we trust this info, but we can’t say we’d blame Google for doing it, either. The Nexus 4 still has legs, and an LTE refresh would be a good option. It could also take some heat off the Play Store, which saw a crush of fans during the Nexus 4 launch.

15 COMMENTS

    • The Moto X SUCKS eggs. It’s only a 4.7″ 720p phone. Google only does top tier for their Nexus phones. In 2013 you better bring at least 5″ with full HD 1080p. In the 2nd half of 2013 you better bring a Snapdragon 800. Google has done that with the Nexus 5.

      AND they made that 5″ 1080p phone SMALLER than the Nexus 4 (which has 4.7″ 720p). Yes, they shrunk the side and top/bottom bezels to make a phone a hair smaller than last year’s Nexus 4, even though it has a larger screen.

      • So… If you need a basic sedan for your day to day usage, would you go ahead and buy a Ferrari? Coz that’s what a real car is like? Really?

        Not everyone needs a octa core 3GB RAM phone with 5.5″ 1080p display. If you do not like a phone, do not buy it. Nexus 5 can cater to the people who wants more from their phone. Nexus 4 can cater to the market who needs a more compact solution that works well.

      • If the Moto X DE were $200 cheaper I would have bought it well aware of the Nexus 5 having superior specs and a cheaper price (than the price i WANTED the Moto X to be).

        1.I would rather have the Moto X’s battery life.

        2.I would rather have it’s AMOLED tech and active display. (battery life also)

        3. 720p at 4.7″ is fine by me. I don’t need to move to 1080p for a quarter of an inch.

        4. the X8 runs very well. It will probably easily make it through a year which is about how long I’d expect to use the device.

        5. The overall size an ergonomics of the Moto X beats pretty much everything else available right now. It really does feel like ideal, and true, thats 100% opinion but it’s a very widely shared opinion. They also made the device smaller than usual for 4.7″…

        If you need an SD800 in q3 2013 then why does a Nexus 7 use an S4 pro?
        1080p makes sense on a Nexus 7 …. I don’t need 1080p SMS messages and poor quality snapchat videos, it’s just draining battery.

        I already have a Nexus 4 sized nexus 4 that will get Kit Kat and do Kit Kat things. As far as I can recall, I’ve never maxed out my N4’s hardware. I’ll also still be getting a Nexus 5, but I would have preferred a Moto X DE if it were the same price… or a Moto made Nexus influenced by the X, as was rumored so long ago.

      • I have a 4.65″ 720p dual core Galaxy Nexus and I can’t way for a faster phone with slightly bigger 1080p display. I didn’t buy the Nexus 4 because I had just bought gen3 Galaxy Nexus a few months before.

        I have maxed out my Galaxy Nexus capability. I want something newer and better. I love that this 5″ 1080p Nexus 5 Snapdragonn 800 phone is about the same size as my 2011 4.65″ 720p dual core Galaxy Nexus.

  1. It seems like an interesting idea – especially since Apple also introduced two models (in which one was a rehash of last year’s with some improvements). However, I think this is stupid, especially if the Nexus 5 has that much of a price hike.
    Google should make the Nexus 4 LTE cheaper, maybe at $199 for 8 GB (which I doubt is likely), and keep the 5 at $299 for the 16 GB.
    That would make some people happy with buying the Nexus 4 (which I resume could be made more inexpensively than the Nexus 5), and some would still buy the Nexus 5

    • The Nexus 5 which blows the iPhone 5S and 5C away, will be priced lower than either. Google doesn’t look backwards and do re-treads of past specs.

      Don’t worry, they will price the Nexus 5 aggressively.

      • I certainly hope so. I don’t want last year’s model to be the $299 phone.
        I wouldn’t, however, object to Google releasing a software update that enables LTE on the Nexus 4

  2. This isn’t happening unless we see the N4 cruise through the FCC again. It isn’t going to happen for several reasons. (Hint: government shut down) This is beyond rumor, it’s wishful thinking. Google doesn’t move backwards.

  3. This article is complete hogwash. There will be no “Nexus 4 LTE” . Google only releases one model per year, to influence design. The Nexus 5 is this year’s Nexus phone, there will be no others. It’s unlocked, has multiple LTE bands, CDMA, HSPA+ is 4.96″ with full HD 1080p, 2GB RAM, 8PM OIS camera and comes with Snapdragon 800. PLUS, it’s a hair smaller than the Nexus 4. Yeah, they packed a 4.96″ 1080p display into a case a hair smaller than last year’s 4.7″ 720 Nexus 4.

    And it will be PRICED close to last year’s Nexus 4.

    If they re-released a Nexus 4, even with LTE, it would LOSE in all the benchmark tests as CPUs have moved on. Google is not going to do something stupid like that. They have a winner with the LG G2-based Nexus 5 — and they will be going full throttle with that.

    Google looks forward, they don’t look back. There will not be a “runner up” Nexus, it will only be the gen5 Nexus 5.

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