7 ms·

Am I the only one that finds it somewhat funny that a phone with no LTE, non-removable battery, no SD card slot and glass front and back is the most talked abou

Am I the only one that finds it somewhat funny that a phone with no LTE, non-removable battery, no SD card slot and glass front and back is the most talked about Android phone to date?

netcan 14y ago
Non-removable battery is a choice which a lot of people are OK with. If the battery doesn't deteriorate, at least. No LTE doesn't affect people on non-LTE networks (eg all of Ireland) and isn't a deal breaker for people who mostly connect via wireless (eg all those people who are happy enough with highly restricted data plans). If those two things contribute to the attractive price and/or design then for a big group of people these are good things. They still get a phone that works great at a low price without paying for features they can't or won't use. This isn't the highest end phone on the market, but it puts a a lot of computer in your pocket at a price that people will be willing to pay. What was the median price of a phone pre-iphone?
- Corrado 14y ago
  Honestly, I'm drooling over the newer model before the battery in any of my phones deteriorates to the point of being useless. I really like the option of induction charging (like on my Palm Pre) and not being able to change the battery doesn't bother me one bit. Also, I like the fact that a sealed case gives lint/dust/dirt less of a chance to invade my phone. I have a Galaxy Nexus and I have to take the back off every so often to clean the gunk out of the speaker & camera lens.
- nuclear_eclipse 14y ago
  > No LTE doesn't affect people on non-LTE networks (eg all of Ireland) Eg, all of T-Mobile, which is the only official launch partner for the Nexus 4 in the US.
- Lost_BiomedE 14y ago
  The worst part about a non-removable battery, besides no replacement, is if the phone is dropped. The battery usually ejects and takes the force of the fall. I have never had a phone case and have dropped my 3 droids many times without incident. With case, you lose a lot of the sleekness.
kirubakaran 14y ago
Well the difference is, you can just buy a different Android phone which is just as powerful but doesn't have these 'defects'. The choice is yours. With an iPhone, you either buy one "with no LTE, non-removable battery, no SD card slot and glass front and back" or you don't buy an iPhone at all.
- wbrendel 14y ago
  The iPhone 5 has LTE and an aluminum back. Edit: Not being snarky. Just a minor correction.
  - kirubakaran 14y ago
    Thanks, +1, but I was just replying to the parent comment, which was implying that Android fans are being unfair as they disliked 4S for the reasons mentioned but seem to be okay with those reasons now. I'm pointing out that it is about choice. I didn't know that iPhone 5 has LTE. If I did, I'd have used the past tense.
  - cbsmith 14y ago
    I think he was referring to the state of the world prior to iPhone 5 being announced.
- Shooti 14y ago
  2011 called, it wants its 4S back.
- eggbrain 14y ago
  But then how will I find a phone that doesn't have crap-ware preinstalled by the carrier by default, and allows a user to update to the latest version of the OS without going through the carrier?
jan_g 14y ago
I think that what many people forget is that Nexus line has always been targeted at developers. Not general public. At least that's what I've taken for granted since the first Nexus device. Yes, there are glaring deficiencies. However, it's still a very powerful device without carrier lock-in or locked bootloader. And cheap. Excellent choice for someone who develops Android apps. Don't forget: average consumer has no clue about nexus devices. But they do know about Samsung or Htc phones.
lnanek2 14y ago
Well, that's part of why it is the most talked about. There's just pages and pages and pages about the SD card here: https://plus.google.com/114892667463719782631/posts/JAAMUzx1PFX https://plus.google.com/114892667463719782631/posts/JAAMUzx1...
SCdF 14y ago
Remember, outside of the US LTE is essentially a non-feature, so there are lots of people who don't actually care. Then there are the people who could use LTE, but find their current network fast enough. I live in a place with no LTE, but honestly if it were to degrade battery life I'd rather live without it: faster network is always nice, but the current one is fast enough.
- aristidb 14y ago
  Due to faster download times it can apparently actually _boost_ battery life in some web surfing scenarios. Not that it matters if your network has no LTE.
- rplst8 14y ago
  It may not be widely deployed outside the US, but that doesn't mean new devices shouldn't support the new standards. Imagine if when Microsoft was designing Windows 7 they said "well, no one is using IPv6 right now so we won't include any support."
  - Rynant 14y ago
    The difference between Windows 7 supporting IPv6 and the Nexus 4 supporting LTE is that LTE requires a physical chip that costs extra to manufacture. Why force all users to pay extra for an LTE radio if most users will not see any benefit from it?
    - joonix 14y ago
      The difference is Google will release another Nexus within one year that will likely have LTE. MSFT makes a new Windows version every 4 years or so.
  - fulafel 14y ago
    Current operators don't have voice working on LTE, phone vendors need to keep both 3G and LTE radios on to kludge around this. When the operators/LTE network vendors get their voice act together, phone vendors can start selling proper LTE phones.
rafaelm 14y ago
You forgot to mention that it's a very powerful unlocked phone at a $300 - $350 price point. When you compare it to the competition, of course people are gonna talk about it. Besides, I think the most talked about phone award probably goes to the Samsung S3...
timeshifter 14y ago
Why funny? Android is finally getting some hardware design love, and as a happy Droid 2 owner, I think it's about time.
- masklinn 14y ago
  > Why funny? Because those are pretty much all points on which the iphone 4 was derided/criticized by the android community 2 years ago?
- lbotos 14y ago
  He's drawing a parallel to an iPhone 4s and the negative hype Android users gave it at the time.
  - runevault 14y ago
    I will say at least in my case I'm not thrilled by the lack of SD card and no removable battery. As I already am on TMobile HSPA+ is better for me, however. But with Android it seems like every phone is trade offs, and to get good battery life, latest version of android, and the nexus experience, I'll give up those things.
    - CrazedGeek 14y ago
      Or do what I did and go with a phone with near-vendor support of an AOSP ROM. Hello, Galaxy S III and CyanogenMod.
      - runevault 14y ago
        Sure, though personally I don't want to spend my time rooting my phone. For those who do, awesome. I don't feel like investing the time in that process when I could be doing more productive things (to me) with my day.
        sardonicbryan 14y ago
        It really doesn't take that long. I flashed a stable 4.1 build onto nmy S3 from a new computer in about 10 minutes, starting from scratch, following step by step instructions. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=33460541&postcount=2 http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=33460541&...
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
metatronscube 14y ago
Yeah for instance when Apple did this design a few years ago it was mostly unacceptable among Fandroids and HN crowd. Now its good, because its Android. Its no secret that HN is heavily biased against Apple (and to some extent MS). I don't know, must be all the Google employees here or something. Its always interesting to watch how these conversations turn out. Its been getting a lot more noticeable over the years on here.
- mikelward 14y ago
  According to The Verge, it was a choice between faster data on the one hand, and timely updates, better battery life, and lower price on the other. I'm guessing for a lot of the Nexus's target market, and for Google, faster updates win out. http://mobile.theverge.com/2012/10/29/3569688/why-nexus-4-does-not-have-4g-lte http://mobile.theverge.com/2012/10/29/3569688/why-nexus-4-do...
  - metatronscube 14y ago
    Absolutely, I get why they did it, and its a nice device (if a bit big for me). However I feel its more about getting it into as many markets as possible as well.
  - Irregardless 14y ago
    I'm just surprised they're alienating so much of the U.S. market. People here were writing off the Galaxy Nexus because of the missing SD card slot alone. Take away LTE and the removable battery and this thing has absolutely zero chance of being successful in the U.S.
    - xur17 14y ago
      I'm not so sure that people in the US are "writing off the Galaxy Nexus". Especially when combined with a prepaid plan (such as Straight Talk, Simple Mobile, or TMobile Monthly4G), this phone is a really good deal. $300 is similar to the starting prices for some phone ON contract. A lot of people really don't need the extra space from an SD card, and LTE is just a more costly option with slightly higher speeds. The lack of a removable battery is somewhat of a let down, but be honest, when is the last time you replaced your phone's battery? I never have. People also seem to indicate that you can still replace the battery by removing a few screws, it is just a little more difficult. I think the US market is moving towards prepaid, non-contract plans, and this is the PERFECT phone for it. On top of that, most of the rest of the world uses prepaid phone plans, which this is perfect for.
niklas_a 14y ago
It's in a different price range than phones with LTE and SD slots - $350 unlocked which is insanely cheap.
Irregardless 14y ago
I didn't believe the specs when I first saw them. Those are some of the things that have always made Android phones a no-brainer over the iPhone for me. I've heard this phone still has huge appeal in the international market, but those are definitely deal breakers for a lot of U.S. users. 1. 4G tethering / hotspot is amazing and doesn't require an additional subscription on previous Nexus phones. 2. 16 GB (13 GB free) is miniscule today, especially for a phone with limited streaming capability due to #1. 3. Non-removable battery also means no extended batteries. One of the first accessories I buy is usually an extra or extended battery.
- masklinn 14y ago
  > 3. Non-removable battery also means no extended batteries. One of the first accessories I buy is usually an extra or extended battery. That's not entirely true, it's less efficient but you can get charge packs or battery pack "case" which provide USB power to the phone, either on the go or to top up the battery.
- halefx 14y ago
  Are you implying that tethering is different on the Nexus 4?
  - Irregardless 14y ago
    No, it's more about the lack of 4G. Streaming full-screen HD videos and playing games on a laptop over 3G is a stretch, but I have no issues doing either with the 4G connection of my Galaxy Nexus. Even loading large web pages was noticeably slower using the 3G connection of my previous Droid. Verizon's 4G definitely rivals Comcast's cable in terms of latency and reliability, if not in raw speed.
    - halefx 14y ago
      Well it doesn't just support 3G. The Nexus 4 runs HSPA+ 42 (basically non-LTE 4G) which is available in Australia, Europe, Asia, Africa, and on Tmobile in the US. My Tmobile HSPA+ is actually faster than most home internet connections in my area.
juliano_q 14y ago
I don't know if it is the "most talked Android phone to date". I think the Galaxy S series by Samsung have much more hype than Nexus (at least between "real" people that is not obsessed with gadgets), and I am pretty sure that the Nexus 4 will not sell as much phones as the S3. There is a lot of controversy on the reviews because it lacks LTE. Apart from that, the only thing that this phone have that is not found in many other Android devices is the glass back. The HTC One X (lacks non-removable battery, no SD card slot) and the GNexus (no SD card slot) are famous devices that have this problems. My point is that the "beauty" of the Android ecosystem is that you can choose between a lot of different designs and specs. The Nexus 4 have glass back, no LTE, no sd card slot and non-removable battery. Will it be more popular than the S3, that don't have any of this "problems"? I don't think so. I am buying the Nexus 4 because I love the design, I love stock Android and there is no LTE in my country yet. I always really liked the iPhone design and hardware, but the OS and the locked ecosystem are deal breakers to me.
cryptoz 14y ago
Well, it does have a barometer!
- timrichard 14y ago
  Not sure about funny; it's useful for a quicker GPS fix : https://plus.google.com/112413860260589530492/posts/jVJhPyouWDP https://plus.google.com/112413860260589530492/posts/jVJhPyou...
  - cryptoz 14y ago
    and pressureNET! ;) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ca.cumulonimbus.barometernetwork https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ca.cumulonimbu...
    - BHSPitMonkey 14y ago
      What exactly is the usefulness of having thousands of barometer readings measured from the inside of a phone inside peoples' homes, purses, pockets, workplaces, and so on? Seems destined to be a network of meaningless bad reads.
gridaphobe 14y ago
As an iPhone user (4S) that all sounds pretty standard! On a more serious note, I don't understand all the fuss about LTE. IIRC it's something like 20Mbps in practice, which is faster than most Internet connections in the US. What is the use case for such bandwidth on a phone? YouTube already plays just fine with HSPA+.
- CrazedGeek 14y ago
  I have been wondering this exact same thing myself. I get 16Mbps on HSPA+, and that's more than plenty for everything I do. I could sort of see LTE making sense in tablets (streaming 1080p on HSPA+ is definitely doable, but doesn't leave a lot of extra bandwidth), but I genuinely have no idea why it's (currently) important in phones.
- Nursie 14y ago
  Potentially there's less latency on an LTE connection, so far as I can tell from a quick search. This could be useful for a bunch of stuff - playing TF2 via a tethered phone perhaps?
- danialtz 14y ago
  The best part is that they give you high speed LTE but with only 3 GB/month cap, and after that it caps to GPRS; at least here for vodafone.de
- wbrendel 14y ago
  I went from HSPA+ on a Galaxy Nexus (AT&T) to LTE on an iPhone 5 (Verizon), and the difference is very noticeable, at least in my area of the US. HSPA+ was alright but still felt like a cellular data connection. LTE feels just like I'm on a fast wifi connection. It's probably the lower latency that makes it seem like wifi, not just the faster data transfer speeds.
  - nuclear_eclipse 14y ago
    On a counter anecdote, as I've mentioned in the past, my Nexus S on T-Mobile with "regular" HSPA gets faster "4G" internet speeds than my Galaxy Nexus on Verizon using LTE, and latency seems roughly the same.
potato 14y ago
I think you'll find that most people were unimpressed when the specs leaked. Then the price was revealed ...

Am I the only one that finds it somewhat funny that a phone with no LTE, non-removable battery, no SD card slot and glass front and back is the most talked about Android phone to date?

netcan 14y ago

Non-removable battery is a choice which a lot of people are OK with. If the battery doesn't deteriorate, at least. No LTE doesn't affect people on non-LTE networks (eg all of Ireland) and isn't a deal breaker for people who mostly connect via wireless (eg all those people who are happy enough with highly restricted data plans). If those two things contribute to the attractive price and/or design then for a big group of people these are good things. They still get a phone that works great at a low price without paying for features they can't or won't use. This isn't the highest end phone on the market, but it puts a a lot of computer in your pocket at a price that people will be willing to pay. What was the median price of a phone pre-iphone?

Corrado 14y ago
Honestly, I'm drooling over the newer model before the battery in any of my phones deteriorates to the point of being useless. I really like the option of induction charging (like on my Palm Pre) and not being able to change the battery doesn't bother me one bit. Also, I like the fact that a sealed case gives lint/dust/dirt less of a chance to invade my phone. I have a Galaxy Nexus and I have to take the back off every so often to clean the gunk out of the speaker & camera lens.
nuclear_eclipse 14y ago
> No LTE doesn't affect people on non-LTE networks (eg all of Ireland) Eg, all of T-Mobile, which is the only official launch partner for the Nexus 4 in the US.
Lost_BiomedE 14y ago
The worst part about a non-removable battery, besides no replacement, is if the phone is dropped. The battery usually ejects and takes the force of the fall. I have never had a phone case and have dropped my 3 droids many times without incident. With case, you lose a lot of the sleekness.

kirubakaran 14y ago

Well the difference is, you can just buy a different Android phone which is just as powerful but doesn't have these 'defects'. The choice is yours. With an iPhone, you either buy one "with no LTE, non-removable battery, no SD card slot and glass front and back" or you don't buy an iPhone at all.

wbrendel 14y ago
The iPhone 5 has LTE and an aluminum back. Edit: Not being snarky. Just a minor correction.
- kirubakaran 14y ago
  Thanks, +1, but I was just replying to the parent comment, which was implying that Android fans are being unfair as they disliked 4S for the reasons mentioned but seem to be okay with those reasons now. I'm pointing out that it is about choice. I didn't know that iPhone 5 has LTE. If I did, I'd have used the past tense.
- cbsmith 14y ago
  I think he was referring to the state of the world prior to iPhone 5 being announced.
Shooti 14y ago
2011 called, it wants its 4S back.
eggbrain 14y ago
But then how will I find a phone that doesn't have crap-ware preinstalled by the carrier by default, and allows a user to update to the latest version of the OS without going through the carrier?

jan_g 14y ago

I think that what many people forget is that Nexus line has always been targeted at developers. Not general public. At least that's what I've taken for granted since the first Nexus device. Yes, there are glaring deficiencies. However, it's still a very powerful device without carrier lock-in or locked bootloader. And cheap. Excellent choice for someone who develops Android apps. Don't forget: average consumer has no clue about nexus devices. But they do know about Samsung or Htc phones.

lnanek2 14y ago

Well, that's part of why it is the most talked about. There's just pages and pages and pages about the SD card here: https://plus.google.com/114892667463719782631/posts/JAAMUzx1PFX https://plus.google.com/114892667463719782631/posts/JAAMUzx1...

SCdF 14y ago

Remember, outside of the US LTE is essentially a non-feature, so there are lots of people who don't actually care. Then there are the people who could use LTE, but find their current network fast enough. I live in a place with no LTE, but honestly if it were to degrade battery life I'd rather live without it: faster network is always nice, but the current one is fast enough.

aristidb 14y ago
Due to faster download times it can apparently actually _boost_ battery life in some web surfing scenarios. Not that it matters if your network has no LTE.
rplst8 14y ago
It may not be widely deployed outside the US, but that doesn't mean new devices shouldn't support the new standards. Imagine if when Microsoft was designing Windows 7 they said "well, no one is using IPv6 right now so we won't include any support."
- Rynant 14y ago
  The difference between Windows 7 supporting IPv6 and the Nexus 4 supporting LTE is that LTE requires a physical chip that costs extra to manufacture. Why force all users to pay extra for an LTE radio if most users will not see any benefit from it?
  - joonix 14y ago
    The difference is Google will release another Nexus within one year that will likely have LTE. MSFT makes a new Windows version every 4 years or so.
- fulafel 14y ago
  Current operators don't have voice working on LTE, phone vendors need to keep both 3G and LTE radios on to kludge around this. When the operators/LTE network vendors get their voice act together, phone vendors can start selling proper LTE phones.

rafaelm 14y ago

You forgot to mention that it's a very powerful unlocked phone at a $300 - $350 price point. When you compare it to the competition, of course people are gonna talk about it. Besides, I think the most talked about phone award probably goes to the Samsung S3...

timeshifter 14y ago

Why funny? Android is finally getting some hardware design love, and as a happy Droid 2 owner, I think it's about time.

masklinn 14y ago
> Why funny? Because those are pretty much all points on which the iphone 4 was derided/criticized by the android community 2 years ago?
lbotos 14y ago
He's drawing a parallel to an iPhone 4s and the negative hype Android users gave it at the time.
- runevault 14y ago
  I will say at least in my case I'm not thrilled by the lack of SD card and no removable battery. As I already am on TMobile HSPA+ is better for me, however. But with Android it seems like every phone is trade offs, and to get good battery life, latest version of android, and the nexus experience, I'll give up those things.
  - CrazedGeek 14y ago
    Or do what I did and go with a phone with near-vendor support of an AOSP ROM. Hello, Galaxy S III and CyanogenMod.
    - runevault 14y ago
      Sure, though personally I don't want to spend my time rooting my phone. For those who do, awesome. I don't feel like investing the time in that process when I could be doing more productive things (to me) with my day.
      - sardonicbryan 14y ago
        It really doesn't take that long. I flashed a stable 4.1 build onto nmy S3 from a new computer in about 10 minutes, starting from scratch, following step by step instructions. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=33460541&postcount=2 http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=33460541&...

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

metatronscube 14y ago

Yeah for instance when Apple did this design a few years ago it was mostly unacceptable among Fandroids and HN crowd. Now its good, because its Android. Its no secret that HN is heavily biased against Apple (and to some extent MS). I don't know, must be all the Google employees here or something. Its always interesting to watch how these conversations turn out. Its been getting a lot more noticeable over the years on here.

mikelward 14y ago
According to The Verge, it was a choice between faster data on the one hand, and timely updates, better battery life, and lower price on the other. I'm guessing for a lot of the Nexus's target market, and for Google, faster updates win out. http://mobile.theverge.com/2012/10/29/3569688/why-nexus-4-does-not-have-4g-lte http://mobile.theverge.com/2012/10/29/3569688/why-nexus-4-do...
- metatronscube 14y ago
  Absolutely, I get why they did it, and its a nice device (if a bit big for me). However I feel its more about getting it into as many markets as possible as well.
- Irregardless 14y ago
  I'm just surprised they're alienating so much of the U.S. market. People here were writing off the Galaxy Nexus because of the missing SD card slot alone. Take away LTE and the removable battery and this thing has absolutely zero chance of being successful in the U.S.
  - xur17 14y ago
    I'm not so sure that people in the US are "writing off the Galaxy Nexus". Especially when combined with a prepaid plan (such as Straight Talk, Simple Mobile, or TMobile Monthly4G), this phone is a really good deal. $300 is similar to the starting prices for some phone ON contract. A lot of people really don't need the extra space from an SD card, and LTE is just a more costly option with slightly higher speeds. The lack of a removable battery is somewhat of a let down, but be honest, when is the last time you replaced your phone's battery? I never have. People also seem to indicate that you can still replace the battery by removing a few screws, it is just a little more difficult. I think the US market is moving towards prepaid, non-contract plans, and this is the PERFECT phone for it. On top of that, most of the rest of the world uses prepaid phone plans, which this is perfect for.

niklas_a 14y ago

It's in a different price range than phones with LTE and SD slots - $350 unlocked which is insanely cheap.

Irregardless 14y ago

I didn't believe the specs when I first saw them. Those are some of the things that have always made Android phones a no-brainer over the iPhone for me. I've heard this phone still has huge appeal in the international market, but those are definitely deal breakers for a lot of U.S. users. 1. 4G tethering / hotspot is amazing and doesn't require an additional subscription on previous Nexus phones. 2. 16 GB (13 GB free) is miniscule today, especially for a phone with limited streaming capability due to #1. 3. Non-removable battery also means no extended batteries. One of the first accessories I buy is usually an extra or extended battery.

masklinn 14y ago
> 3. Non-removable battery also means no extended batteries. One of the first accessories I buy is usually an extra or extended battery. That's not entirely true, it's less efficient but you can get charge packs or battery pack "case" which provide USB power to the phone, either on the go or to top up the battery.
halefx 14y ago
Are you implying that tethering is different on the Nexus 4?
- Irregardless 14y ago
  No, it's more about the lack of 4G. Streaming full-screen HD videos and playing games on a laptop over 3G is a stretch, but I have no issues doing either with the 4G connection of my Galaxy Nexus. Even loading large web pages was noticeably slower using the 3G connection of my previous Droid. Verizon's 4G definitely rivals Comcast's cable in terms of latency and reliability, if not in raw speed.
  - halefx 14y ago
    Well it doesn't just support 3G. The Nexus 4 runs HSPA+ 42 (basically non-LTE 4G) which is available in Australia, Europe, Asia, Africa, and on Tmobile in the US. My Tmobile HSPA+ is actually faster than most home internet connections in my area.

juliano_q 14y ago

I don't know if it is the "most talked Android phone to date". I think the Galaxy S series by Samsung have much more hype than Nexus (at least between "real" people that is not obsessed with gadgets), and I am pretty sure that the Nexus 4 will not sell as much phones as the S3. There is a lot of controversy on the reviews because it lacks LTE. Apart from that, the only thing that this phone have that is not found in many other Android devices is the glass back. The HTC One X (lacks non-removable battery, no SD card slot) and the GNexus (no SD card slot) are famous devices that have this problems. My point is that the "beauty" of the Android ecosystem is that you can choose between a lot of different designs and specs. The Nexus 4 have glass back, no LTE, no sd card slot and non-removable battery. Will it be more popular than the S3, that don't have any of this "problems"? I don't think so. I am buying the Nexus 4 because I love the design, I love stock Android and there is no LTE in my country yet. I always really liked the iPhone design and hardware, but the OS and the locked ecosystem are deal breakers to me.

cryptoz 14y ago

Well, it does have a barometer!

timrichard 14y ago
Not sure about funny; it's useful for a quicker GPS fix : https://plus.google.com/112413860260589530492/posts/jVJhPyouWDP https://plus.google.com/112413860260589530492/posts/jVJhPyou...
- cryptoz 14y ago
  and pressureNET! ;) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ca.cumulonimbus.barometernetwork https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ca.cumulonimbu...
  - BHSPitMonkey 14y ago
    What exactly is the usefulness of having thousands of barometer readings measured from the inside of a phone inside peoples' homes, purses, pockets, workplaces, and so on? Seems destined to be a network of meaningless bad reads.

gridaphobe 14y ago

As an iPhone user (4S) that all sounds pretty standard! On a more serious note, I don't understand all the fuss about LTE. IIRC it's something like 20Mbps in practice, which is faster than most Internet connections in the US. What is the use case for such bandwidth on a phone? YouTube already plays just fine with HSPA+.

CrazedGeek 14y ago
I have been wondering this exact same thing myself. I get 16Mbps on HSPA+, and that's more than plenty for everything I do. I could sort of see LTE making sense in tablets (streaming 1080p on HSPA+ is definitely doable, but doesn't leave a lot of extra bandwidth), but I genuinely have no idea why it's (currently) important in phones.
Nursie 14y ago
Potentially there's less latency on an LTE connection, so far as I can tell from a quick search. This could be useful for a bunch of stuff - playing TF2 via a tethered phone perhaps?
danialtz 14y ago
The best part is that they give you high speed LTE but with only 3 GB/month cap, and after that it caps to GPRS; at least here for vodafone.de
wbrendel 14y ago
I went from HSPA+ on a Galaxy Nexus (AT&T) to LTE on an iPhone 5 (Verizon), and the difference is very noticeable, at least in my area of the US. HSPA+ was alright but still felt like a cellular data connection. LTE feels just like I'm on a fast wifi connection. It's probably the lower latency that makes it seem like wifi, not just the faster data transfer speeds.
- nuclear_eclipse 14y ago
  On a counter anecdote, as I've mentioned in the past, my Nexus S on T-Mobile with "regular" HSPA gets faster "4G" internet speeds than my Galaxy Nexus on Verizon using LTE, and latency seems roughly the same.

potato 14y ago

I think you'll find that most people were unimpressed when the specs leaked. Then the price was revealed ...