The latest of the Google’s own nexus devices is manufactured by
LG but has its own core and a vast collection of pre-installed Google apps and
the new Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS. Instead of inventing new high –end
specifications in an expensive phone, this version of the nexus has
incorporated the premium specs in an affordable handset. The quad-core
processor, 4.7 inch display makes the Nexus 4 compete with the Iphone 5 and the
Samsung Galaxy S3, but this champ comes with a far lower price tag than the
other two.
Design
We would not go so far as calling it the best handset in the
market, but it a looker. The dots on the back make it look snazzy, which many men
may not fall in love with at the first sight. Apart from that, it is 9.1 mm
thick and feels comfortable in the hand. The close resemblance to the older
apple phones can be noted in the Nexus 4’s design. The plastic feel of the back
glass, absence of a removable back plate and mounting of the sim on the side
tray are some design features borrowed from the apple phones. The screen is
relatively smaller than the Samsung S3, but the pixel per inch density is much
higher than the latter. The biggest advantage of the screen is the expansive
viewing angles.
Features
The Nexus 4 has two cameras, the 8MP primary camera on the rear
and the 1.3 MP front-facing camera. These however, are a tad disappointing. The
camera app is easily accessible, but has poor contrast ratios. The LED flash is
just average, but the digital zoom is a disaster. One new feature incorporated
in the phone is the Photo Sphere, that lets users take a 360° panorama shot for
an impressive and rounded picture. The video recording capabilities of this
phone are amazing; it has provision to capture stills while recording videos.
Multimedia
The Nexus comes with limited memory storage, you have to choose
between either the 8GB or the 16GB variant and the memory is not expandable.
Except for heavy multimedia users, this phone is a joy to use for smart-phone
amateurs like our writer. The high quality video play, fast refresh rates and
excellent color management makes this phone visually a treat, compared to its
more expensive counterparts.
Despite housing a chunky 2100mAh battery, the battery life of
this device is not too great. The processor and display drain the battery
extensively and this is accelerated during the use of apps and games. One would
be pushing to use this phone for a whole day. The newest features like the NFV
(bumping the phones to transfer data) and wireless charging were promised by Google,
but yet to be tested for effectiveness.
In short, the Nexus 4 comes with a smooth processor, hitch-less
operating system and fully loaded features – all with a relatively small
price-tag. This phone may not change the phase of smart phone markets, but is
sure of a head-turner and might, with future models, force the other companies
to lower their phone prices.