Nexus 4 production to be ramped up

Fans of the Nexus line of phones who are eagerly awaiting the Nexus 4 to be available have some hope around the corner. After months of problems with the availability of Google’s hero device, Cathy Robin, Director of Mobile Communications, LG France, stated that production of the LG-made Nexus 4 will be ramped up in the coming few weeks.

Speaking to French tech site Challenges, Robin said that Google and LG’s relationship has not been strained despite miscommunication and the underestimation of demand for the Nexus 4. She added that if LG has to increase the frequency of delivery of the smartphone, it would take them about six weeks time to achieve it.

The Nexus 4 may be back in stock by mid-February.

Rumours suggest that LG and Google have created an artificial scarcity of the device to boost eventual sales and to generate hype around it. Another theory is LG has stopped production of the Nexus 4 to better sell its own Optimus G smartphone. But Robin categorically stated that LG has denied this and insisted that the Nexus 4 will continue and contrary to the rumours, production rate will be sped up in the coming few weeks. LG expects the market to settle by mid-February and more Nexus 4 handsets will be available for sale.

It is no surprise that the demand for Nexus 4 has hit fever pitch. Its large, high-resolution screen, powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, a unique approach to design – its glass back is etched with a design that sparkles under the right light – and the latest Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system are all coveted. And its very competitive price only serves to help this cause. The demand for the phone was so high at the time of the launch that the entire batch from Google’s US Play Store was sold out within an hour.

LG’s current flagship phone, the Optimus G is a near replica of the Nexus 4, with many similarities in the specifications. It has the same processor, display, but runs an older version of Android, 4.1, unlike the Nexus 4’s 4.2 Jelly Bean. As reported earlier, members of the XDA-Developers forums have come up with a software hack that converts the firmware of LG's Optimus G into that of an 8GB Nexus 4. This is made possible by swapping software elements customised by LG with their Nexus 4 counterparts.

LG has announced the availability of the Optimus G in 50 more countries with LTE coverage. The second phase of this launch comes on the back of the fact that more than a million Optimus G handsets were shipped in Q4 2012. With much of the phone’s hardware being developed in house by LG, it’s no surprise that LG is pushing its flagship device to more corners of the world.