T-Mobile to sell Nexus 4 for $499 off-contract, available in 'select' stores
Google experienced some technical issues when the Nexus 4 went on sale earlier today, yet the company still managed to burn through its initial supply in short order. But if you're among the many that missed out on the first wave and were hoping for a second chance at your nearest T-Mobile store tomorrow, we've got some bad news. Yes, the carrier will indeed be selling the 16GB Nexus 4 for $199 ? about $150 less than the unsubsidized model ? but that's only if you commit to a two-year contract. Factoring in monthly data costs, you'll quickly be paying back any money saved at the outset.
For anyone not looking to become a T-Mobile customer, the Nexus 4 will be priced much higher at $499. Again, this is the same 16GB model that retails for $349.99 at Google Play. So whereas signing up for a two-year wireless contract will "save" you $150, you'll need to pay the same amount if you want to walk away with the flagship Android handset free of any obligations. In the grand scheme of things, that's still less than the full retail cost of other Android devices in T-Mobile's lineup. Samsung's 16GB Galaxy S III still runs $579.99 off-contract, for example, and the newly-released Galaxy Note II demands $699.99. Such a significant price disparity also hints Google is sacrificing some profit as part of its strategy to sell directly to consumers via Play.