Is the Nexus 4 a good 2-year phone?

GopherDroid

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I don't understand how people are able to upgrade their phones every year, it makes no sense to me. What do you guys pay full price for your phones or something!? Because the average person has a two year plan with their carrier, since one year plans are significantly more expensive.

I have the s3 and am perfectly fine with it for the next year and a half when im due for an upgrade. I swear some of you are addicts:)

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

Part of the whole point of a Nexus is you're not on contract.
 

yahoowizard

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Yes if you're on T-Mobile, since that's about the biggest thing missing from this phone. It might not be as important now, but the lack of it will be a lot more important in a year and especially beyond that date. T-Mobile's HSPA 42 in my opinion is fast enough, but AT&T's HSPA is already somewhat behind in speed, and will be a lot more in the future. Every other aspect of the phone, in my opinion, is ahead enough. There won't really be apps, I imagine, even two years later, that you wouldn't be able to run on the Nexus 4.
 

gone down south

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I don't understand how people are able to upgrade their phones every year, it makes no sense to me. What do you guys pay full price for your phones or something!? Because the average person has a two year plan with their carrier, since one year plans are significantly more expensive.


You can often sell off a year-old phone in good shape for more than you paid for it originally under subsidy.
 

soma4society

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Part of the whole point of a Nexus is you're not on contract.

I signed a contract anyway to get the promotional pricing on my monthly package. No biggie, I'm happy with TMo's service and--assuming we see another Nexus 5 in the next year or two--ill just sell this one and upgrade the old fashioned way.



Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums
 

6tr6tr

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The N4 has Band 4 LTE on it's chip, it can be turned on with a quick hack. And surprise, surprise, T-Mobile is using, among others, Band 4 for it's LTE roll-out in the US.

Except it doesn't have an amplifier so unless you're right near the LTE tower, it won't be of use.
 

Jeremy8000

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It's a Nexus device. So while it won't have the latest hardware compared to others released over the next two years, if the LTE isn't a big concern for you, it's the best device today (assuming you can get your hands on one). The reason is simple: In two years, it will be running the then-latest version of Android OS, whereas phones introduced 1 - 1 1/2 years from now will, in 2 years, be running older software.

Hardware does a lot for a phone, but it's the software that empowers longevity.
 

greydarrah

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Except it doesn't have an amplifier so unless you're right near the LTE tower, it won't be of use.

This means that in addition to the normal a$$ sucking battery drain that LTE causes, since you're missing the amplifier, you'd be constantly searching for an LTE signal. Unless you want to stand around under a tower, you'd be lucky to go 3 hours before the phone was dead. I'll say it again...if you want an LTE phone, that's what you need to buy, because the N4 is NOT an LTE device.

Personally, I'm glad it's not. I much prefer the better battery life of H+ and my data speeds on Tmobile are awesome. There has not been a single moment that I've had this phone when I felt like it was slower than my GNEX on Verizon. To the contrary, it's much faster in every possible aspect. To the OP...it's a perfect 2 year phone, though I'm sure I'll jump all over the N5 when it comes out in Nov/Dec.
 

keithdroid

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I believe that nothing is "2 year proof" nowadays because there is always something cooking in the pot to be served oon, but if anything is the Nexus 4 is. Hardware software combo is hard to beat and will last. My 2 cents...
 

minnemike

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This means that in addition to the normal a$$ sucking battery drain that LTE causes, since you're missing the amplifier, you'd be constantly searching for an LTE signal. Unless you want to stand around under a tower, you'd be lucky to go 3 hours before the phone was dead. I'll say it again...if you want an LTE phone, that's what you need to buy, because the N4 is NOT an LTE device.

Personally, I'm glad it's not. I much prefer the better battery life of H+ and my data speeds on Tmobile are awesome. There has not been a single moment that I've had this phone when I felt like it was slower than my GNEX on Verizon. To the contrary, it's much faster in every possible aspect. To the OP...it's a perfect 2 year phone, though I'm sure I'll jump all over the N5 when it comes out in Nov/Dec.

I'm just glad there will be tmo LTE options, period. And specifically, I hope to grandfather my unlimited contract in to it with my next phone. But, I assume they will be sacrificing their H+ coverage with LTE taking over? I don't know the specifics of the technology.
 

badbrad17

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Yes. Definitely. No question. Absolutely. For sure.

I figured I would give you a solid answer instead of a vague response like everyone else.

It's a fast phone that will give you far more longevity than the Galaxy Nexus and that phone has proven to be a fine 2 year device. Plus the big thing to look at is that hardware has only recently caught up to software so the need to upgrade will not matter as much.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums
 

anon(94115)

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I won't go on my usual rant about the phone. I will just say it simply

It is not for one reason alone.

Apps are getting bigger and we are becoming pack rats with photos and media. 16gb won't be close to enough in two years let alone 8gb.

That is the best reason that it will not be a seriously viable phone in two years.

Sent from the nexus of the Android world, the SGS3.
 

Qbancelli

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This means that in addition to the normal a$$ sucking battery drain that LTE causes, since you're missing the amplifier, you'd be constantly searching for an LTE signal. Unless you want to stand around under a tower, you'd be lucky to go 3 hours before the phone was dead. I'll say it again...if you want an LTE phone, that's what you need to buy, because the N4 is NOT an LTE device.

Personally, I'm glad it's not. I much prefer the better battery life of H+ and my data speeds on Tmobile are awesome. There has not been a single moment that I've had this phone when I felt like it was slower than my GNEX on Verizon. To the contrary, it's much faster in every possible aspect. To the OP...it's a perfect 2 year phone, though I'm sure I'll jump all over the N5 when it comes out in Nov/Dec.
Wow! What part of the Nexus 4 fully supports LTE on band 4 you guys don't understand?

"In the case of the Nexus 4, the hardware includes the latest and greatest cellular hardware from Qualcomm with MDM9215M, its third generation 28nm Category 3 LTE multimode baseband, and a WTR1605L transceiver. I tore down the Nexus 4 to ascertain whether PAs were present that could work with LTE, and saw indeed that at least bands 4, 2, and 1 did have Avago power amplifiers (A5704, A5702, and ACPM?7251) which noted support for LTE. The remaining piece of the puzzle was software stack, both in Android and inside the version of the AMSS (Advanced Mobile Subscriber Software) running onboard MDM9215M."

AnandTech - Nexus 4 Includes Support for LTE on Band 4 (AWS)
 

Lanhoj

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I think it'll last you for 2 years though after that you'll be ready for an upgrade.
If it had a better camera & LTE (other than Band 4) it would likely age better but it is what it is.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums
 

anon(94115)

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Wow! What part of the Nexus 4 fully supports LTE on band 4 you guys don't understand?

"In the case of the Nexus 4, the hardware includes the latest and greatest cellular hardware from Qualcomm with MDM9215M, its third generation 28nm Category 3 LTE multimode baseband, and a WTR1605L transceiver. I tore down the Nexus 4 to ascertain whether PAs were present that could work with LTE, and saw indeed that at least bands 4, 2, and 1 did have Avago power amplifiers (A5704, A5702, and ACPM?7251) which noted support for LTE. The remaining piece of the puzzle was software stack, both in Android and inside the version of the AMSS (Advanced Mobile Subscriber Software) running onboard MDM9215M."

AnandTech - Nexus 4 Includes Support for LTE on Band 4 (AWS)

Band 4 does nothing for the US, which I believe a majority of members here are in.

Sent from the nexus of the Android world, the SGS3.
 

lyingfromyou

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Even though I am using the SG3, the Nexus S 4G pulled me through my last 2 years... It was the first time I went through my contract without trading up. It was so easy to root too! :cool: