16 gigs is just way too small, I don't want to put stuff on the cloud.

[minnemike]

I do think that is the best plan for you.

We have to remind ourselves where Google came from.... they are an online entity and everything they do will promote, expand and progress through that existence. They are more about creating a powerful server side backend that your Google "device terminal" can access. They are cloud people before they are hardware people.

 

[Aquila]

I am convinced that removing SD had nothing at all to do with cost. This was a design decision.

32 gig version of the Nexus 7...none for the Nexus 4. Why is that?


Upgradable is. The people who need a better battery can then get one. People satisfied with the stock one can use it. Again...everybody wins.

That is why this is all so annoying...these "problems" have easy fixes. Google chose not to use them.

I'm not disagreeing with you about what you think the best solution is. I'm theorizing how they think about it, personifying the company attitude. I personally like removable batteries, but I understand there are engineering considerations that would make that very difficult or impossible and it's not high on my list of things to consider when comparing phones.

Again, guessing, I would think the 32GB Nexus stemmed from the perception that people use tablets more for content consumption than they do phones, given that most tablet owners have both. Which are you going to read your books and watch movies on? Personally I think that they might have this backwards, because the tablet, especially the wifi only version, is much easier to use with the cloud than the phone, which can be anywhere, and because the tablet doesn't have a rear facing camera... it's much less likely to get filled with enormous pictures. If I was going to design it, I'd say 16GB tablet and 32GB phone, if one had to be one and the other the other.

 

[JeffDenver]

And how would you know the specifications?

Do you have evidence that Google was involved in the design of the One or S4?

Those devices are not even out yet.

Yes, they are. They just don't have Vanilla Android.

I have not seen any press releases saying they will be altered. Have you?

And once again, those devices are being sold thru the Playstore.

So what?

I never said they were part of the Nexus program. I said they will be Google devices.

They are not google devices. Being sold through the play store does not make them a google product IMO.

The fact that they won't include Touchwiz and Sense and be sold thru Google tells you this, just like I made the point that LG is manufacturered by LG, yet is a Google device.

The word "Nexus" tells you it is a google product. The GE One and S4 are not Nexus devices. Google did not design them and was not involved in their design.

 

[Scott7217]

That's a great point. From that perspective, the push shouldn't be to get Google to change their hardware. The push should be to get the device manufacturers (and mobile carriers) to use real Android without all the bloatware, crippleware, and other malware they typically build into their ecosystem.

I would agree with your comment about pushing the manufacturers and carriers to use stock Android. How can we push them, other than just by complaining on a forum?

 

[minnemike]

I'm not disagreeing with you about what you think the best solution is. I'm theorizing how they think about it, personifying the company attitude. I personally like removable batteries, but I understand there are engineering considerations that would make that very difficult or impossible and it's not high on my list of things to consider when comparing phones.

Again, guessing, I would think the 32GB Nexus stemmed from the perception that people use tablets more for content consumption than they do phones, given that most tablet owners have both. Which are you going to read your books and watch movies on? Personally I think that they might have this backwards, because the tablet, especially the wifi only version, is much easier to use with the cloud than the phone, which can be anywhere, and because the tablet doesn't have a rear facing camera... it's much less likely to get filled with enormous pictures. If I was going to design it, I'd say 16GB tablet and 32GB phone, if one had to be one and the other the other.

Some great points here. I own both. As far as media access when at home - that is done with my big tv and stereo. The tablet gets games played on it and some internet browsing when at home. When on the road, the tablet becomes the media device in need of huge storage when wifi deprived.

 

[minnemike]

I would agree with your comment about pushing the manufacturers and carriers to use stock Android. How can we push them, other than just by complaining on a forum?

They were given a hanging curve by Google to produce one. Maybe Google has done them and all the SD fans a favor by leaving this little bit of meat on the bone for them to develop? Maybe this was all by design? In fact, your biggest clue is LG's phone that is exactly the same except for LTE and SD = what you are seeking except for vanilla droid.

 

[fernandezhjr]

You're right that no one is going to read the complaints. Google is using their servers to search the web. They'll use artificial intelligence to find out what people like and dislike. You don't need human eyes when machines can do it faster and more efficiently. This is Google's real strength, and that's why they make a lot of money. They'll know what we want before we even know that we wanted it.

I never said they wouldn't read the complaints. I said they wouldn't care. The way to get a leg up on the competition is to make consumers want what you got, not give consumers what they want. You do some of that, but what makes the business model pull away is what they are doing now. It is not them knowing what you want before you know it. It is them making you want it before you even know you will want it. People are sheep. Didn't Apple teach us that?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[fernandezhjr]

Do you have evidence that Google was involved in the design of the One or S4?


Yes, they are. They just don't have Vanilla Android.

I have not seen any press releases saying they will be altered. Have you?


So what?


They are not google devices. Being sold through the play store does not make them a google product IMO.


The word "Nexus" tells you it is a google product. The GE One and S4 are not Nexus devices. Google did not design them and was not involved in their design.

Did really think Google would stay stuck on Nexus only forever? Do you think they do not see the Apple single phone business model starting to slip? Argue all you want, but from what I see, even Google is calling them Google Editions!! How much harder do you need to get smacked upside the head??? Lol.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[JeffDenver]

Did really think Google would stay stuck on Nexus only forever?

Yes. They have said as much. Nexus devices will continue indefinitely, whether or not there are other Vanilla Android devices like the One and S4.

"Google?s Android and Chrome boss Sundar Pichai confirmed that Google has no plans to abandon its Nexus program." -

Do you think they do not see the Apple single phone business model starting to slip? Argue all you want, but from what I see, even Google is calling them Google Editions!!

LOL! Will never happen.

Google does not care how many Nexi they sell. They are not a hardware vendor. They are not selling those phones to make a profit. They make money through ads, not hardware. I am willing to bet they are making little or nothing from those GE phones as well.

Whether Apple's model slips or not, will have no impact on what Google is doing. Their actions will be exactly the same.

 

[Scott7217]

4GB is nowheres near reasonable. The cellular data networks are not built up enough and the cost of data is still way to high. Apart from that, just over 3GB is taken up for system. That would leave users with less than a gig for apps and other storage.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Would you be happy with an 8 GB Nexus 4 instead of a 16 GB one?

I would agree that 4 GB would not be enough for you and me. However, it may be good enough for a person who only want to use Google's cloud services. So I would support the existence of a 4 GB Nexus, just like I would support a 32 GB one. I think internal storage can act independently of the cloud when it needs to. If Google truly wanted to force users into the cloud, we would only have a model with 8 GB or less.

To me, the issue is not the cloud versus storage. It's more about the issue of choice and what do you do if the device you want isn't on the market.

 

[Scott7217]

Yes = Room for apps, more or less.

Exactly. They purposely did not include one. Why would that be? This is a cloud machine and buying it when you value external storage so greatly would be a foolish choice.

So we agree that storage is needed for apps. Where we disagree is whether or not a 32 GB Nexus 4 should exist at all. It's possible for someone to download a lot of apps that take up storage, right? Games can eat up storage, for example.

Is the Nexus 7 tablet a cloud machine as well? Google discontinued the 8 GB model and added a 32 GB one. Why would a cloud machine need more storage?

As for micro SD, I think Google is sending a mixed message. You can get micro SD support, but it has to be on a Google Edition device, not a Nexus branded one. Perhaps one day there will be a Google Edition LG Optimus G. I think people would like that.

 

[Scott7217]

I heard there is a new vanilla android S4? You can always go with a custom ROM too. Apart from that, it looks like you are screwed bruthaman.

The Sony Xperia Z Google Edition is another option with micro SD, but I don't know if that's official. Android Central did a report on it 4 days ago, so it's probably true. The Xperia Z might be closer to a Nexus experience since it uses on-screen buttons.

I would guess that all the people complaining forced Google to implement the Google Edition program for smartphones. As we get more phones on board with stock Android, you'll get more happy Android users.

 

[Scott7217]

I have the 16gb too. I am sitting at 7gb left with the phone chock full of apps I like to use. This phone is designed absolutely perfect for all of my needs. Google did a perfect job in deciding specs on this phone for me.

I like my phone, too. However, I also support other people getting what they want. Perhaps it's because I think about others, and not just what I want.

 

[minnemike]

So we agree that storage is needed for apps. Where we disagree is whether or not a 32 GB Nexus 4 should exist at all. It's possible for someone to download a lot of apps that take up storage, right? Games can eat up storage, for example.

Is the Nexus 7 tablet a cloud machine as well? Google discontinued the 8 GB model and added a 32 GB one. Why would a cloud machine need more storage?

As for micro SD, I think Google is sending a mixed message. You can get micro SD support, but it has to be on a Google Edition device, not a Nexus branded one. Perhaps one day there will be a Google Edition LG Optimus G. I think people would like that.

I do not have carrier service on my N7, so it is not a true full time cloud device for me. But the fact they offer carrier service gives you a clear clue that they fully intend it to be fully cloud capable. I suppose if you have a Nexus 4 and can mobile hotspot, you are once again in the cloud realm. I would say they are forced here to include larger storage because they simply have to for the non-carrier capable models. Being all cloud all the time requires data access.

 

[minnemike]

I like my phone, too. However, I also support other people getting what they want. Perhaps it's because I think about others, and not just what I want.

I am simply giving you an example of who this phone was designed for and the type of intended use. I support people getting what they want by buying what they want.

 

[Scott7217]

I think it was a fair point, considering that some people think that Google really wants people to use the cloud with the Nexus. In effect, I was agreeing with you.

So let me try to clear up some confusion so I understand you. You knew that the Nexus 4 uses the cloud extensively. In your opinion, larger storage goes against the Nexus philosophy with respect to the cloud. Yet, you still chose the model with the larger capacity. Guess what? I still support your decision. You voted for more storage, and that's a good thing.

I would be curious to know what you would get instead of a 16 GB Nexus if you needed more space, but it's not an issue for you, so the point is probably moot.

That's hardly the point. I had two choices like everyone else. I chose the capacity model. What I didn't do is choose to buy the device, then complain about the storage capacity even though I knew what I was buying from the start. And guess what, if I had gotten the 16 GB version and realized I needed more, I would have returned it and gotten something else.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[TheLibertarian]

I am convinced that removing SD had nothing at all to do with cost. This was a design decision.

Why are you convinced of this? I'm curious as to whom at Google or LG divulged that theory to you.

There aren't problems with this phone that require fixes, and there are not defects that should be addressed. I say again: the device was created exactly as it was intended to be. It was was not slated to be a multimedia powerhouse, a mass seller, a replacement for dSLR cameras, or an LTE device. Just because Google could create a Nexus with LTE, a 3000mAh battery, and made from crystal with 128GB of storage does not mean they are required to as that is not the designed function of this device. Get that through your head, buddy.

 

[Scott7217]

I would argue that in November 2012 (when the Nexus 4 launched), buying a Nexus 4 was a vote for stock Android, as opposed to TouchWiz, Sense, or Motoblur. Buying the 16 GB model was a vote for more storage. If there were a 32 GB model, people could have voted for that, but so far, we have been denied that opportunity.

I wouldn't expect a Nexus 5 to have SD support, but then again, I never expected Samsung, HTC, and Sony to release phones with stock Android. Perhaps the real solution is just to have every phone have stock Android as an option.

Not waiting for the S4 sealed your fate with the N4 since you gave them yet another vote of confidence that the current design is a best seller.

With the speed at which phones are designed these days, hoping for the N4 to add SD cards seems pointless. You realize they are already making plans to release the N5? Maybe you should focus your efforts on getting that to have SD?

 

[minnemike]

I think it was a fair point, considering that some people think that Google really wants people to use the cloud with the Nexus. In effect, I was agreeing with you.

So let me try to clear up some confusion so I understand you. You knew that the Nexus 4 uses the cloud extensively. In your opinion, larger storage goes against the Nexus philosophy with respect to the cloud. Yet, you still chose the model with the larger capacity. Guess what? I still support your decision. You voted for more storage, and that's a good thing.

I would be curious to know what you would get instead of a 16 GB Nexus if you needed more space, but it's not an issue for you, so the point is probably moot.

I actually tried to buy the 8GB during the frenzy of the second release in Dec. I thought the $50 wasn't justified for me. Since the store was buggy as hell, I decided mid process that I would take anything that I could get. Looking back, 16GB has given me the freedom to keep all sorts of apps I don't always use, but since I have grown to know the ins and outs of the google play store (and the ability to add/remove apps via my desktop computer at the office), I think having the 8GB would not be a bit painful at all = removing and adding software as easy as a couple clicks. Instant upload for pics and vids is another feature I never considered during the time of purchase. Getting comfortable with all the cloud services has really opened me up to all these possibilities of using a phone more as a terminal to a larger mainframe, rather than a standalone unit. I understand that is not for everyone. But I have embraced this movement.

 

[Scott7217]

The problem with statements is that you need a loud enough voice. As it stands today, it is easier to ask Google/LG to change the color of the Nexus 4 than to add storage to it. Still, that gives me hope that being vocal and firm can yield the desired results.

Off-topic: With the changes in iOS 7, would you ever consider going back to an iPhone? It sounds like you built up quite an investment in that ecosystem.

Two things; choosing something else makes a statement, and may lead to you getting what you ultimately want. Secondly, the fact that the product you want doesn't exist, but seems to be something that is easy to produce could be indicative of your needs/wants being comparatively insignificant compared to others. Not saying this to be a jerk either. Seems like Google and other players in the mobile industry are turning to the cloud. It is one of the reasons I got rid of my iPhone 5. I had the 64 GB version because I needed to because Apple's cloud services were weak. Couldn't stream my content so I had to keep it on the phone. Then I started to wonder after I had almost filled 64GB, what would I do then? Not buy anymore HD movies? No more pictures or videos? I was starting to hope that they would release a 128 GB model next. That's when I decided to embrace the cloud. Internal storage would soon not be enough for me. And since you can't stream iTunes content as of today, I had to leave.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using AC Forums mobile app