The battle of all Android phones is about to go down. Last year’s Galaxy Nexus built by Samsung to run Android 4.0 – Ice Cream Sandwich, going up against the Google Nexus 4 built by LG to run Android 4.2 – Jelly Bean. Two Google Devices, launching on two different versions of Android, both running pure Android, but who will come out on top? Get your picks in now! First round is spec’s let’s get this thing started.
Specifications
Google Galaxy Nexus
In this Phone Wars, we decided to do something a little different. We are going to talk about the Galaxy Nexus then move onto its successor the Nexus 4. So the Galaxy Nexus is about a year old now, but don’t let that deter you, it is still a great device, and one of the few devices running Jelly Bean besides a few Galaxy S III’s and One X’s in other countries. The Galaxy Nexus was also the first Android phone to feature on-screen navigation buttons. Something that was heavily criticized by fans, until they got their hands on the device. There’s not a whole lot special about the Galaxy Nexus, other than it’s a Nexus! So it gets instant updates from Google (unless you have the Verizon or Sprint variant).
Pro’s
- Hardware is a year old, but still great for everyday use
- Running almost the most current Android version, just a matter of days until it gets Android 4.2
- Supports CDMA and LTE on both Sprint and Verizon
Con’s
- If you’re on a CDMA carrier and want a Nexus, this is your only choice
- Semi-great battery life
Pricing
$349 from Google Play (currently not listed anymore)
Google Nexus 4
The Nexus 4 is the newest sibling of the Nexus family, joining phones like the Nexus One (HTC), Nexus S (Samsung), and the Galaxy Nexus (Samsung). Along with the Nexus 7 (ASUS), Nexus 10 (Samsung) and the very short lived Nexus Q. The Nexus 4 has one specific reason why it was made, to bring a pure Android experience to as many people as possible, as cheaply as possible. I’d have to say it did just that.
Pro’s
- Price; starts at $299 unlocked from the Play Store and works on virtually any GSM network worldwide
- Similar to the Galaxy Nexus, it gets updates almost instantly. Since there are no LTE version, there’s no carrier involvement, which means quicker updates
Con’s
- No LTE; for those data hogs
- Non-removable battery
- No expandable storage
Pricing
- $299 for 8GB from Google Play
- $349 for 16GB from Google Play
The Winner Is…..
The Nexus 4 wins basically on hardware alone. Now many of you may say that’s wrong because it’s built by LG and its plastic-y. That might be true, but the internals are much more up to date, including a quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM. On the software side its dead even, since they are running the same version of Android.
So the big question is, if I have a Galaxy Nexus should I upgrade to the Nexus 4? Well if you’re on Sprint or Verizon with the Galaxy Nexus, you’ll have to switch to a GSM carrier to get the Nexus 4. So in that case it depends on coverage in your area. But if you already have the Galaxy Nexus from the Play Store, then go ahead and upgrade. I mean why not? It’ll be a much faster device, and it’ll be brand new.
But after all it’s your money, your phone, and you’re the one that has to live with your decision. All we can do is point out the facts.