If you were one of the customers lucky enough to snap up the new LG Nexus 4 smartphone before the phone sold out Nov. 13, Google is now shipping the devices to customers.
On Nov. 14 Google showed that the device was preparing for shipment, with an estimated shipping date of Nov. 15, and as of the morning of Nov. 15 multiple reports show that the Nexus 4 has shipped and is in the hands of UPS.
Customers can find their tracking number in their Google Wallet account, but the tracking number is not yet active for some users, so it is unclear if the Nexus 4 will arrive on Saturday Nov. 17, or be held over for delivery until Monday Nov. 19.
Users should look for an email from the Google Play Store, or login to check for a shipping number in the Google Play Store Orders and Settings page.
The LG Nexus 4 is the latest Nexus smartphone from Google, offering a pure Android experience without the skins and pre-installed apps found on most phones sold at Verizon, Sprint AT&T and T-Mobile. The handset will be one of the first devices to run the newest version of Android, Android 4.2, and will be first in line for updates when Google announces a new version in 2013.
When the LG Nexus 4 went on sale in the Google Play Store on Tuesday for $299 and $349, it sold out swiftly in a matter of minutes, after a bumpy order process that allowed some shoppers to place orders after it appeared the initial stock was depleted.
The Nexus 4 price may seem expensive next to Apple's iPhone 5 and other handsets, but these prices are for the off-contract phone, meaning users won't be forced to marry their device in a two-year contract, and the phone works on a wide array of carriers.
Google did not release the LG Nexus 4 wireless charger, but there are several other Nexus 4 wireless chargers available to order without a wait.
The LG Nexus 4 is out of stock at the moment, but Google promises to replenish the Nexus 4 stock in the coming weeks.
Google, LG Nexus 4
Just minutes after going on sale in the U.S., the new Nexus 4 smartphone from Google and LG was already sold out. Visitors to the Google Play store are greeted with a "coming soon" notice for both the 8 GB and 16 GB of the device. It's unclear how many units Google was able to produce by launch time; the company has not commented.
Google releases only one Nexus-branded handset per year. It is meant to serve as the developer device for its Android smartphone platform. The device went on sale first in Australia, where it sold out in mere hours. Later, the Nexus 4 hit the Play Store in the U.K., where it also sold out in about an hour.
The LG Nexus 4 smartphone features a quad-core processor, "which means its super fast," says Google. The phone's display is a "crisp" 4.7-inches (320 ppi) "that's perfect for looking at photos and watching YouTube." The phone offers wireless charging, so, you just have to set the phone down on a power mat to recharge the Nexus 4's battery.
"While Nexus 4 is incredibly powerful under the hood, it also features the latest version of Jelly Bean, Android 4.2-the simplest and smartest version of Android yet," the company said in its statement.
"Starting with the camera, we've reinvented the photo experience with Photo Sphere, which lets you capture images that are literally larger than life. Snap shots up, down and in every direction to create stunning 360-degree immersive experiences that you can share on Google+ with friends and family-or you can add your Photo Sphere to Google Maps for the world to see."
"Android 4.2 brings other great goodies like Gesture Typing, which lets you glide your finger over the letters you want to type on the keyboard-it makes typing fast, fun and a whole lot simpler. Android 4.2 also adds support for wireless display so you can wirelessly watch movies, YouTube videos and play games right on your Miracast-compatible HDTV."
Price/models
8GB for $299; 16GB for $349; available unlocked and without a contract on the Google Play store in the U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain and Canada. The 16GB version will also be available through T-Mobile for $199, with a 2-year contract.
We've already discussed the serious hype surrounding the new Microsoft Surface, and Apple iPad 4-competing Google, Samsung Nexus 10 - spoiler alert: the display quality is reportedly gorgeous. And as early first impression reviews of the LG Nexus 4 smartphone pour in, critics look equally enthused about its future potential, especially loving its $299 price tag.
Tech Hive loved the design, camera, and impressive display quality.
"The LG-built Nexus 4 is an improvement over last year's Galaxy Nexus, and I came away from my encounter quite impressed with the phone's performance and slew of interesting features."
Computer World was so clearly enamored with almost every one of the device's features you could play a drinking game with the word "beautiful" while reading its review.
"Speaking of the screen, boy, is it a beaut. If you've seen the Optimus G, you know what to expect: The device uses True HD IPS technology and boasts a resolution of 1280 x 768, with 320ppi. It looks fantastic -- crisp, clear, and bright, with phenomenal detail. This is hands-down one of the best screens I've seen on an Android phone, rivaling the likes of HTC's One X for the gold-medal spot."