The Verge - From rumor to retail: the full story of Google's fourth-generation Nexus

The Nexus 4: Google's flagship phone lands November 13th for $299

2012-10-29T16:10:30Z

Google has officially announced the Nexus 4, the latest phone in its Nexus line of flagship Android devices. Built by LG, the phone features a 4.7-inch 1280 x 768 IPS display, a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor — which Google claims is the fastest on the market — an 8 megapixel camera and a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, and up to 16GB of storage. Oh, and the back is made of glass — etched, layered glass that sparkles with a strange, almost holographic depth.

The executive vibe is balanced nicely by the playfulness of the back

Not much of that should be surprising, as the phone had been thoroughly leaked around the web in the past few weeks. What is surprising is how much better it all looks in person. C...

Nexus 4 manual leaks on LG's website, lists 8GB and 16GB versions

2012-10-27T03:21:19Z

Yesterday we saw what appeared to be the manual for Google's Nexus 10 tablet, and today we're getting a look at one for the Nexus 4 — from LG itself. As spotted by Engadget, LG made the quick-start guide for both 8GB and 16GB variants of the handset available on its UK and Australian sites earlier today. The documents are listed under the name LG E960 — a model number we've heard associated with the next Nexus for some time now — and contain diagrams outlining the physical features of the phone. These drawings confirm the inclusion of an induction coil for wireless charging as had been rumored.

Between numerous pictures, phones left at bars, and an in-depth review, the Nexus 4 is quickly becoming one of the most-leaked devices...

Déjà vu: Google employee loses prototype Nexus 4 at San Francisco bar

2012-10-26T23:10:20Z

In 2010 a prototype of Apple's iPhone 4 was left at a bar, leading to it leaking across the internet months before its official debut — and it appears the same almost happened with the much-anticipated new Nexus phone from LG. Wired reports that Jamin Barton, a bartender at the 500 Club in San Francisco, came across an unclaimed smartphone at the venue sometime in September. The device had no SIM card, but did feature the Google logo on the back along with a sticker indicating that it was "not for sale."

As Barton tells the story, a friend — referenced only as "Dave" — recognized that the phone was likely Google's next Nexus, and agreed to contact the search giant. According to Wired, Dave become upset the following day, saying...

Nexus 4 pre-order reveals specs, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, October 30th release date

2012-10-25T10:50:19Z

The Nexus 4, LG's well-rumored first participation in Google's Nexus program, has unwittingly been revealed by UK phone retailer Carphone Warehouse. An entirely official-looking pre-order page has been put up for the handset, whose display is said to measure 4.7 inches diagonally with a 1280 x 768 resolution. Other salient features include Android 4.2, still called Jelly Bean, a quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor, NFC, and an 8-megapixel camera. Looking into the more detailed spec sheet, the Nexus 4 is listed as being 9.1mm thick and is offered with 8GB of onboard storage.

One potential new feature to this version 4.2 of Android is something called Gesture Typing. The retailer listing describes it as a Swype-like form of text input that...

LG executive reportedly confirms Nexus 4 announcement for October 29th

2012-10-22T16:58:42Z

LG's Nexus smartphone will indeed be announced on October 29th according to a company official. Assuming numerous photos, camera samples, and even a pre-release review somehow hadn't clued you in on the imminent launch, IBNLive removed any remaining doubt when the site caught up with Amit Gujral, Head of Mobile Product Planning for LG's India division. "Google will unveil the LG Nexus on October 29 and the phone will be available in the Indian markets by the end of November," Gujral reportedly said. Additionally, he offered confirmation regarding both the device's hardware and the software it will be running: a 4.7-inch display, 1.5GHz quad-core processor and Android 4.2 are set to be part of the package, says IBNLive.

French newspaper L...

'Nexus 4' name spotted in photos from Google and LG workers

2012-10-15T07:51:06Z

It's hard to recall a more thoroughly leaked product than LG's upcoming Nexus phone, but here's another bit of information to add to the rumor mill: it seems the device will in fact be known as the Nexus 4. That's according to EXIF data on various photos uploaded to Google+, at least. While it's certainly possible to fake EXIF data, it seems unlikely in these instances; the photos come from both LG's Pyeongtaek Learning Center and a Google employee in Texas.

Pictures purporting to be from the LG Nexus have shown up before, but their EXIF data referenced the "Mako" codename. This is the first time we've seen pictures tagged "Nexus 4," a name first heard when leaked in retailer listings. French newspaper Le Figaro has claimed the Nexus 4...

LG's supposed Nexus 4 given full review treatment ahead of official announcement

2012-10-12T17:24:53Z

Nearly all mystery surrounding LG's rumored Nexus device has now washed away. Following a fairly complete look at the device's hardware, Belarusian blog Onliner has published what it is calling a "preliminary review" of the prototype smartphone, leaving very little to the imagination.

What first comes to mind when looking at this device is the Galaxy Nexus, which it is supposedly meant to replace. It shares an extremely similar design, with on-screen buttons and a hidden LED notification light on the phone's chin. There are some material changes like chrome buttons and a smooth, patterned back plate, which apparently refused to scratch when struck with a key. What's also new is a micro SIM card tray on the left edge of the phone, which...

LG Nexus handset revealed in clearest shots yet

2012-10-11T10:22:51Z

Belarusian site Onliner has got its hands on LG's new Nexus 4, revealing the device with perfect clarity for the first time. The site confirms what we've already heard about the device: it's a remodeled version of LG's Optimus G. Dubbed the LG E960, the phone has a quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 4.7-inch 1280 x 768 display. One thing that doesn't match the rumors is the operating system: the device is currently running Android 4.1.2, rather than 4.2 as rumored, although Onliner hypothesizes that could change before the device's rumored October 29th launch.