After selling out within hours of its UK launch, Google’s no-contract Nexus 4 hits the Google Play store in the US today. The GSM/HSPA+ phone is sold unlocked for $299 ($349 for the 16GB version). Although it’s called the Nexus 4, its display is actually 4.7 inches, and it measures 133.9 x 68.7 x 9.1 mm.
Although Google is not making the phone available through carriers, AT&T and T-Mobile USA can both expect to win new prepaid customers thanks to the Nexus 4. T-Mobile USA offers unlimited data and 100 minutes of talk time for $30/month, and unlimited talk, text and data for $60/month. AT&T’s prices are slightly higher, and its coverage is more extensive. The Nexus 4 is also likely to bring new customers to the smaller regional carriers that also operate on GSM networks, including GCI Wireless, Cincinnatti Bell Wireless, Union Wireless, Straight Talk, Viaero Wireless, Simple Mobile, Immix Wireless, Simple Mobile, and Wal-Mart Family Mobile.
The Nexus 4 is almost sure to be a compelling competitor to the iPhone 5, offering comparable screen resolution, more cloud storage, a quad-core processor, and wireless charging with a charging mat. And it will be the first smartphone to run Android 4.2, which also becomes available today. Galaxy Nexus owners began reporting this morning that they awoke to find their tablets downloading Android 4.2 over the Internet. And the new operating system is available to Nexus 7 tablet owners via a manual download. Android 4.2 will enable Nexus 4 users to take advantage of the phone’s 360 degree photo panorama capabilities. It also enables Qualcomm’s Miracast, which enables the smartphone to connect to television sets over Wi-Fi and display the smartphone’s content on the big screen.
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