Latest Galaxy S4 Nexus Rumours: 2 Things to Know before Buying Samsung’s Google-Centric Flagship
Immediately after Google had announced that there will be a stock Android Galaxy S4, many marked June 26 on their calendar, eager to own a version of the device that was recently named as the best smartphone to date.
The asking price was hefty, at $US649, but Android fans are willing to overlook the steep numbers if only to get a real feel of the raw power coming from Google mixed with the top-notch hardwares deployed by Samsung with the GS4.
The Google-Samsung partnership alone seems worth the cash but there are two major things to consider before taking the plunge and the following sentences should feed you in.
The GS4 Nexus is initially geared for U.S. release
CNET reported last week that while the rollout of a Nexus-laden GS4 is certain, its global distribution remains a big question mark. According to the tech site, Google intends to initially launch the device in the United States while release plans for other destinations remain under consideration.
This dampens the enthusiasm created by the thought of tasting vanilla Android via the GS4. Google's statement means two things - while the device's international release is not entirely ruled out, it may take awhile before consumers outside of the U.S. territory could get a hold of the smartphone.
And those unwilling to wait will have to pay a high price, literally, should they elect to get the GS4 Nexus in advance using unauthorised channels. It would be a redux of the old Nexus 4 episode - buyers hot on trail of a hot gadget were 'robbed' by unscrupulous third-party sellers.
No assurance of enough space to operate on GS4 Nexus
With the GS4 coming under the umbrella of Google, Samsung's device will have to strictly adhere to the company's rules. One of them is sticking to the Nexus hardware specifications, which to many is somewhat limiting.
While the Nexus brand is well-loved some of its characteristics are hard to accept. One prime example is the internal memory restrictions, which Google impose to encourage the use of its Google Drive.
That being said, it's fair to expect that the GS4 Nexus will retail in one storage build - the 16GB model. Note that the original GS4 make caused uproar as experts pointed to the too little usable disk space left for buyers right out of the box.
Almost half of the memory pre-installed with the smartphone was gobbled up by Jelly Bean 4.2.2 and Samsung's applications. Plus there was no mention that Google will allow the inclusion of a memory slot, as in the case with the TouchWiz-skinned GS4.
Good thing for the GS4 Nexus though, the bloats are out, which means considerable space are freed up. Still, Android fans would appreciate a 32GB variant or at least the ability to slide in a microSD card.