Is the Nexus 4 Revolutionary?

[Scott7217]

Now that Google has officially released the Nexus 5, I just wanted to take a brief moment to look back on the Nexus 4. Is the Nexus 4 revolutionary? How did the Nexus 4 change the mobile industry for the better during its reign?

For example, I noticed a lot of people ditching their cell phone contracts and going the prepaid route. If you were able to get a Nexus 4 subsidized by Google, you could get a flagship phone without paying flagship prices. Getting a prepaid plan would save you even more money, and you wouldn't be stuck using the prepaid phones that the carriers offered. I'm guessing the carriers noticed because now they are offering competitive prepaid plans that include things like LTE built-in. Previously, those features would be reserved for contract subscribers only.

So, what do you think the Nexus 4 changed?

 

[Biggnaa20]

I don't think the phone itself was revolutionary. It was a pretty good version of android. Not top of the line, but no where near the bottom. But, once you included the price, it became a game changer. It was the first phone I bought new outright. It allowed me to really shop for my carrier in a way that I hadn't before. I ended up on T-Mobile. Ultimately, the phone saved me a bunch of money, and freed me from carrier contracts.

nb

 

[techmantoo]

I think the fact you can order a phone with "premium" specs direct at a midrange price point is amazing. N4 in my opinion is setting the bar value, so is the n5.

 

[Ry]

Now that Google has officially released the Nexus 5, I just wanted to take a brief moment to look back on the Nexus 4. Is the Nexus 4 revolutionary? How did the Nexus 4 change the mobile industry for the better during its reign?

For example, I noticed a lot of people ditching their cell phone contracts and going the prepaid route. If you were able to get a Nexus 4 subsidized by Google, you could get a flagship phone without paying flagship prices. Getting a prepaid plan would save you even more money, and you wouldn't be stuck using the prepaid phones that the carriers offered. I'm guessing the carriers noticed because now they are offering competitive prepaid plans that include things like LTE built-in. Previously, those features would be reserved for contract subscribers only.

So, what do you think the Nexus 4 changed?

What you got for the price was revolutionary. The actual physical product though - I wouldn't call it revolutionary.

 

[Scott7217]

It was a pretty good version of android.

Given that the Nexus 4 got the latest version of Android, it should be pretty good!

 

[Scott7217]

I think the fact you can order a phone with "premium" specs direct at a midrange price point is amazing.

I was hoping that other manufacturers would try to at least lower their off-contract price in response to the Nexus 4, but so far that hasn't happened. Most phones cost at least $600 off-contract, which is why most people would rather sign a contract to get the subsidized price. Still, I think once more people get their hands on a Nexus 4 or 5, we may see more pressure to reduce the prices of smartphones in general.

 

[Scott7217]

What you got for the price was revolutionary. The actual physical product though - I wouldn't call it revolutionary.

I can see your point. I think it's hard to make a breakthrough on phones. I guess wearable devices, like Google Glass, is where the next revolution will be.

 

[itic]

In terms of my experience going from iOS to vanilla android OS..um yeah. It demands more of you and allows you to challenge yourself which is a good thing.

 

[mrsmumbles]

I was hoping that other manufacturers would try to at least lower their off-contract price in response to the Nexus 4, but so far that hasn't happened. Most phones cost at least $600 off-contract, which is why most people would rather sign a contract to get the subsidized price. Still, I think once more people get their hands on a Nexus 4 or 5, we may see more pressure to reduce the prices of smartphones in general.

I doubt that, although it's a nice thought. Google makes a lot of money from things other than hardware.

Thinking of the other manufacturers, they're not in the poor house, but all their products are hardware whether it's the mobile phone department or the washing machine department. Maybe that's a stupid thought though. I'm tired. :-/

Sent from my C5170 via Tapatalk 2

 

[Biggnaa20]

Given that the Nexus 4 got the latest version of Android, it should be pretty good!

Yes. Jelly bean was the best Android version at that time, but I meant that it was a pretty good amalgamation of an Android product. It wasn't the best at any one thing, but the sum of its parts was pretty darn good.

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