Should I Buy Nexus 4 Now, or Wait for the 5? [Details Inside]

[ASaiyan]

Hello, Nexus 4 owners! I heard about the price drop this morning and am seriously thinking about purchasing the 16GB model. I know this is a subjective decision, with MANY variables, but I will post as many details about my phone usage as possible below, and consider the opinions of anyone nice enough to offer theirs.
Here are details:

• I love the idea of buying a phone unlocked, because $80/mo contract plans scare me. $249 sounds right up my alley. If a Nexus 5 is launched this fall (as rumors suggest), I'm assuming the 16GB will fall in the $349-$399 range, which I'd rather avoid. So, essentially, what I'm asking is if Nexus 4 will suffice for my usage habits (described below).
• I would probably be hooking the phone up to AT&T StraightTalk (unless T-Mobile is better somehow). I live on Long Island, NY. AT&T service is good here; I've heard people say decent things about T-Mobile, but I'm not sure I believe them?
• Call quality doesn't matter too much to me. In the 1.25 years I've had my latest phone, I've used all of 850 minutes, and most of my calls are ~5 min long. Texting is important, though; I've sent 375 text messages this month alone.
• Things I would most likely use a smartphone for, in order of most-to-least usage:
  1. Texting
  2. Web Browsing and web-based apps (ex: Google Maps, Yelp, Gmail, social networks)
  3. Games (stuff like: Canabalt, Zenonia, Rayman Jungle Run, etc.)
  4. Music? (I have 8.5 gigs of tunes, but that seems like it would eat all my storage! So I wouldn't mind just leaving that on the iPod if need be.)
  5. Other Apps, Pictures, Video, Calls (Probably not too much of these things.)
• Oh, and this would be my first smartphone, so other than MAYBE music, I'd have nothing to transfer over.

That was A LOT of text. Thanks so much in advance, anyone who takes the time to read and respond!

 

[jhawkkw]

It depends on where you live on LI. If you live in Nassau County or near the Nassau/Suffolk border, t-mobile should be just fine for you. The advantage with t-mobile is that you can apply some modifications to enable lte on the nexus 4 and it is compatible with t-mobile lte but not AT&T.

As far as the nexus 5, that will probably be released in November if previous nexus phone launches are used as precedents. So you have to ask yourself if you can wait until then.

 

[bjacks12]

The Nexus 4 will work perfectly for your application. You'll probably want to leave some of your music on another device though.

If you chose T-Mobile, would you go through ST or directly to T-Mobile? If you go through ST, LTE is not available, even if you enable it on the phone.

I'm currently on ST AT&T and this phone has been ideal for me.

 

[jtmorris]

I am so very happy with my N4. It is still super fast and works perfectly. I had a call issue with my first one (about every 20 calls or so the person on the other end couldn't hear me), but warranty one came without hassle.
Love it. You will to - and you will save a bundle with the recent price reduction.

 

[ASaiyan]

It depends on where you live on LI. If you live in Nassau County or near the Nassau/Suffolk border, t-mobile should be just fine for you. The advantage with t-mobile is that you can apply some modifications to enable lte on the nexus 4 and it is compatible with t-mobile lte but not AT&T.

If you chose T-Mobile, would you go through ST or directly to T-Mobile? If you go through ST, LTE is not available, even if you enable it on the phone.

Thanks for the info! I live in Nassau. I was originally planning on going through StraightTalk, but T-Mobile apparently has a $30 per month prepaid deal (100 minutes talk | Unlimited text | First 5 GB at up to 4G speed) that is even cheaper. Is it easy to set up the LTE?

 

[jhawkkw]

You have to unlock your bootloader, for the device and then either perform a couple steps manually or flash a zip file in custom recovery.

 

[aurora40]

Many lesser phones than the Nexus 4 would serve you just fine based on your described usage. But the N4 is so affordable now, and will be updated for a while, it sounds like the perfect match.

It will likely be months before an N5 arrives, and it seems unlikely it will be as cheap as the N4 is now.

 

[ASaiyan]

You have to unlock your bootloader, for the device and then either perform a couple steps manually or flash a zip file in custom recovery.

Sounds doable. Are there any guides/tutorial articles you would recommend?

Also, I'd like to thank everyone for their help and input! I just ordered the 16GB model on Google Play!

 

[El Presidente]

Sounds doable. Are there any guides/tutorial articles you would recommend?

Also, I'd like to thank everyone for their help and input! I just ordered the 16GB model on Google Play!

Wugs Nexus toolkit will sort you out for the bootloader unlock, root and custom recovery: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2015469

A teensy bit of preparation with drivers etc, but after that it's just a couple of clicks.

Once all that is sorted, the below should help you out with the LTE Hacks:

http://androidforums.com/nexus-4-al...exus-4-radios-flash-in-recovery-lte-hspa.html

http://androidforums.com/nexus-4-all-things-root/705892-t-mobile-t-metropcs-lte-fix.html

 

[joeblackis]

Yes the N4 16gb would be a great choice for you. The price point is great and for T-Mobile the 30/month 100mins unlimited data plan is great for me and my area.

The next N4/N5 will be more expensive than then the current new low price of the N4 and will just offer a few more featues that probably do not matter much to you anyway.

For instance if you said you take photos all the time with your phone I would than recommend you wait for the next nexus phone that will have a better camera (which in my opinion is the weakest part of the N4)

Anyways, you cannot go wrong with the 199-249 price point.

 

[SiempreTuna]

Many lesser phones than the Nexus 4 would serve you just fine based on your described usage. But the N4 is so affordable now, and will be updated for a while, it sounds like the perfect match

That pretty much says it all - the only thing I would add is that I just checked and I currently have 9.5GB of podcasts and music, so that iPod could go, too

I just ordered the 16GB model on Google Play!

Congratulations - you just got yourself an absolutely amazing bargain :cheers:

 

[JunBringer]

Good choice dude. Such a great device, especially for the price.

 

[xrealtalk]

Wugs Nexus toolkit will sort you out for the bootloader unlock, root and custom recovery: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2015469

A teensy bit of preparation with drivers etc, but after that it's just a couple of clicks.

Once all that is sorted, the below should help you out with the LTE Hacks:

http://androidforums.com/nexus-4-al...exus-4-radios-flash-in-recovery-lte-hspa.html

http://androidforums.com/nexus-4-all-things-root/705892-t-mobile-t-metropcs-lte-fix.html

Does doing this interfere with getting official updates?
I'm so torn between rooting or not rooting because I want official updates but at the same time I want the freedom of romming.

 

[jhawkkw]

Does doing this interfere with getting official updates?
I'm so torn between rooting or not rooting because I want official updates but at the same time I want the freedom of romming.

Yes, trying to take an update while on a custom radio baseband will cause over the air updates to fail. However since you're rooted with custom recovery, you can update manually.

 

[asheehanjr]

I would jump on the Nexus 4 NOW! As soon as the 16 gig ones are out, you will be SOL. I would check the coverage map for AT&T and T-Mobile for there coverage in your area. As for music, you are better to leave it on your iPod unless you don't mind streaming your music through Google Music but, that will use your data if not on WiFi. I had no problems with AT&T on StraightTalk. I can't use my N4 anymore do to a cracked screen now but, it was great and had no problems. It is up to you if you can wait till the either the New N4 is relased or the N5 and save up a extra $75 then wait till then. I would jump on it now if you don't want to wait. ;-)

 

[ASaiyan]

Wugs Nexus toolkit will sort you out for the bootloader unlock, root and custom recovery: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2015469

A teensy bit of preparation with drivers etc, but after that it's just a couple of clicks.

Once all that is sorted, the below should help you out with the LTE Hacks:

http://androidforums.com/nexus-4-al...exus-4-radios-flash-in-recovery-lte-hspa.html

http://androidforums.com/nexus-4-all-things-root/705892-t-mobile-t-metropcs-lte-fix.html

Thanks again for these tutorials! I've unlocked and rooted the phone successfully, and can launch TWRP in custom recovery. I am going to download the custom LTE img .zip file from the third link.

Since I've never "flashed" an image before, however (outside of the ones the Nexus Root Toolkit did for me), I am not entirely sure how it's done. Do I click the download link on my phone, and install the .zip that way? Or do I download it to my PC, and transfer it over somehow so it shows up in TWRP recovery?

 

[JunBringer]

I've done it both ways really, but more experienced folks might tell you differently.

 

[saptech]

I should have tried to get the 8gb for the $199 price. Rumors seem to have the N5 having a 5 inches or bigger screen. I really don't think I would like one over 5 inches.

 

[egDonald]

... You'll probably want to leave some of your music on another device though.
....

i apologize if I miss the reason... but why?

My assumptions why (but I still ask why, just to make sure I'm not missing anything):
1. OP wants to use up 8-9GB off the top with music, consuming too much space
2. music playback is bad on the speakerphone
3. music playback is bad via the headphone jack - or headphone jack has issues?

I wasn't sure if #1 is the reason you say "another device", since about 6GB would remain after the music taking up space.... but I guess that would depend on what the remaining 6GB would be used for and how fast it'd fill up.

thanks in advance!

 

[joeblackis]

I should have tried to get the 8gb for the $199 price. Rumors seem to have the N5 having a 5 inches or bigger screen. I really don't think I would like one over 5 inches.

from the FCC filing It looks to have a 4.96 inch screen which would look like this.

4.96 v 4.70 n4

 

[bjacks12]

It turns out that the FCC filling was really for the cdma version of the G2.

 

[jhawkkw]

It turns out that the FCC filling was really for the cdma version of the G2.

Sort of, there were two models mentioned in most of the articles, the D820 and the D821. It's the D821 that has been said is another G2 model. The D820 is still fair game.

 

[ultraspontane]

Go with the N4. It actually works. Never underestimate googles ability to release unfinished products.

 

[egDonald]

If anybody waited on buying the Nexus 4... Too late, unfortunately.
http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/16/4738980/google-play-nexus-4-sold-out-not-coming-back

You'll have to wait and see if the 5 will show up in Google Play or not

 

[jhawkkw]

If anybody waited on buying the Nexus 4... Too late, unfortunately.
Google is done selling the Nexus 4 in the US | The Verge

You'll have to wait and see if the 5 will show up in Google Play or not

Not true, you can still choose to pay through the nose for it by getting it through T-Mobile:Google Nexus 4 | New Nexus 4 Google Phone | T-Mobile