The Google Nexus 4 smartphone by LG is the latest pure Google Android Nexus handset and as such has met with phenomenal demand. It sold out almost instantly when it first went on sale unlocked through the Google Play Store on November 13 but we finally heard that further stock would go on sale again yesterday, renewing hope for the countless people still waiting to order. Today we can tell you that the Nexus 4 can be pre-ordered again now but that shipping times may be excruciating for some who are eagerly waiting.
There was some criticism for the way that Google handled the initial release of the Nexus 4 as the company seemed woefully unprepared for the huge demand for the phone. However with top-end specs and a low unlocked price many felt it was always obvious that customer desire for this phone would be massive, especially with a launch in the busy holiday season.
We had many comments from readers about the frustration caused when the Nexus 4 sold out so quickly. Although some were disappointed that they didn’t get to order one of the first batch, even more felt let down that once it sold out the order option was removed. Many of you expressed that you would rather have ordered one knowing it would arrive at some point, than have to keep checking if it had come back in stock. Finally we could tell readers that Google was about to replenish stock and the Nexus 4 resumed sale at Google Play in the US yesterday.
However it now seems there is further frustration as many found they still could not order one because the ordering system could not cope with the demand. Google acknowledged this issue by stating that the Nexus 4 wasn’t yet sold out but that the system was overwhelmed and to try again at some point when they would still be taking orders.
So how about the current status of the Nexus 4? Well a glance at Google Play today reveals that yes, Google is still taking orders for the 8GB and 16GB version of the phone but that shipping times are being stretched further and further away. If you want the 16GB version it’s not expected to ship for 4 to 5, weeks according to Droid-Life, so that pretty much puts Christmas out of the picture. It’s even worse if you want the 8GB version as shipping times for that model have now been pushed back to a whopping 8 to 9 weeks, in which case by the time it arrives you may have forgotten you ever ordered it!
However spare a thought for would-be Nexus 4 owners in other regions. For instance in the UK the 8GB and 16GB order pages for the Nexus 4 still read as sold out, with not even an option to order or any expected date for availability. At least some fortunate people who’ve managed to order through the overwhelmed Google Play system in the US know that they will eventually get their hands on it.
We imagine there are many people out there who will be more than a bit exasperated at just how difficult it is to actually get hold of the Nexus 4 but it’s worth remembering this is a great handset as we pointed out in our roundup of some of the best smartphones for the holiday season. There are other avenues for obtaining the Nexus 4 other than through Google Play but the outright prices from operators tend to be much higher, by an exorbitant amount, and are also likely to be difficult to come by.
We’d like the thoughts of our readers on this one. Are you one of the many who are still trying to place your Nexus 4 order through Google Play? Maybe you’ve managed to pre-order and are now facing a long shipping delay? Alternatively if you find any still available through individual operators let us know which ones and where? Send your comments on this to us.