Looks like the Nexus 4 is a victim of its own success, after selling out on the Google Play Store all over the world, Australian customers have been eagerly awaiting information from LG on where and when they can purchase the popular handset from Australian retailers. Back when the Nexus 4 was launched, LG promised that the phone would be available offline promising ‘Further information on offline availability in Australia will be available late November’.
Well we have been keeping track and have noted that as it is now early December we asked LG if they had any further information to add and they’ve just advised :
Due to unprecedented global demand for the Nexus 4 handset LG has had to delay the offline release of the handset in Australia. We expect that stock will be available for release through local retail partners commencing early 2013. Details of retail outlets, pricing and exact sales release dates will be provided as soon as information is available.
This is not the news that most potential Nexus 4 customers in Australia are looking for but unfortunately LG can only manufacture so many phones and the fact that the Nexus 4 is too popular can only serve to be a good thing for the Nexus program, Android and Google in general.
Who is still waiting to order a Nexus 4?
I am waiting 🙁 No one wants my money (400 bucks, not the inflated price off ebay)
I waited and waited and waited, gave up, then bought a iphone and ipad, I wanted a Nexus4 and 10, but alas, I’ll soon buy an apple TV and migrate completely to the Apple ecosystem, all because Google couldn’t sort their sh*t out. It’s a Shame.
I couldn’t stand waiting anymore and settled with a HTC One X. With the Jellybean update, a better build and $430AU(including postage) price tag it seemed reasonable instead of having to wait till who knows when.
I did exactly the same thing. I have loved having a Nexus phone in the past, but the release of this phone has been a disaster. I would have been happy to wait if I’d known how long I’d be waiting for, but at this stage anyone’s best guess is ‘next year’. Not good enough, Google.
Alright enuf with the wait, I am sure even if it comes on Play store in a week or 2 I wouldn’t get it before mid/end of Jan…..ordering a Sony Xperia T online right now…..this is the last time I am checking the play store for a farce…..
Bah. I had no idea when they were going on sale; and subsequently missed the opportunity to buy one at all. I signed up for the email 2 weeks beforehand (8g) and again THAT VERY MORNING for the 16g O_o
This absolute cluster f*@% by google makes me want to buy the iPhone out off spite.
Shame on you google.. you cant beat apple in terms of meeting demand.. why cant you give the numbers? how many did you release? why dont you take pre-orders and supply on first come first serve basis?
I am waiting but looking at alternatives. My current phone has been on the blink for a few months. I waited for the new nexus but missed the 15 minute window of availability . I am not happy with Google. They should not have set a release date and then bungled it up this much. They don’t deserve my money. I don’t like the blueish screen on the 4g galaxy s3 or note 2. iphone is a good option because it has the best battery life of the 4g phones but the price is a bit steep. HTC one X+… Read more »
Just gotta say! I waited, i refreshed constantly for days and was going to buy one! As a result of this stock issue bought a Sony Xperia TX instead off mobi city for more money! Really annoyed but im not waiting till next year! Guess they will have to wait a few years to get my business! Poor form Google and LG!!!!!
Don’t get offended but if you got an Android phone Google still got your business… without subsidy.
Good call! Didnt think of that! Well…….too bad LG!!!!!!! Although they got a bit of my money when i wasted it on the terrible Optimus L7!!!!! Worst phone in history!
And what about the Nexus 10?
It seems weird that Google rushed both the Nexus 4 and 10 to the market only to not even be able to supply said market – especially since these machines have a relatively short life span nowadays.
I’m not saying Google’s wrong about the unprecedented demand for the Nexus 4, but the Nexus 10 hasn’t garnered such huge demand and it’s also not in any retail stores.
Big miss for Google, imo. I thought they had Christmas 2012 on lock.
This has helped Samsung sell a lot more Note 2’s…..
Marketing of the N4: almost unnecessary.
Production and distibution of the N4: fail.
Has El Goog been taking lessons from Notion Ink?
So how many devices did they actually sell?
In Australia, Google sold out all phones in a few minutes when very few people even knew it was for sale. We have not seen the phone offered again since on the play store. I would be surprised if they sold more than a thousand phones or so. The whole thing is a suspicious farce.
The problem being, as each day passes.. this notion of the galaxy s4 begins to fade into the picture. One has to wonder, if the majority of potential customers will jump on the s4 bandwagon when it is released in march/april or whatever. Time will tell I guess 🙂
It’s a shame. Hopefully they go through Play Store next year too.
I wonder if my Desire HD on Gingerbread will hang in there until early 2013? Thanks for the heads up Daniel.
I’m on the same boat! Can’t wait to get rid of my DHD and move on. My contract is ending soon though and I’ll have to decide on my next phone soon.
I think they manufactured a certain amount thinking that’s all people would purchase, and it’s now blown into massive figures. This is also perfect PR for them and will only gain more interest.
I assume Google haven’t released sales figures anywhere? All numbers pure speculation?
Google does not release numbers, ever. Only reason we know how many Nexus 7’s are selling is because an Asus exec screwed up and said almost a million per month now.
Any figures are purely anecdotal, but suffice to say a number of people have given numbers in the 10s of 1000s.
I would really love to know how many they actually did have made. Then we could actually say whether the Nexus 4 was actually super popular, or whether Google just messed up hard.
Either way, I don’t know if I’ll buy one now. Every day I can’t buy a Nexus 4, I want it a little less.
Funny how they don’t like to release info but they really love to collect every bit of info they can get :p
The pooch has been screwed..
still waiting for this!!! i personally dont think LG can handle these big number of devices, they just dont have the resources to pump out the units!! which is really disappointing for us all still waiting!! i have to say that if it had been samsung that were manufacturing this nexus device it would be able to cope quite easily … come LG get ur act together!!!!
any news about availability from google play store (Australia)…?
Nothing, Google advises they have ‘Nothing to share’ when asked about when more stock would be available in the Google Play Store.
I think they actually had some up last Wednesday. I refreshed the Nexus 4 16gb page and a red message bar appeared at the top saying that Nexus 4 devices weren’t sold out and that there was high demand on the site. I couldn’t get a buy button for the Nexus but did manage to get a bumper in my basket before it magically disappeared. I was really annoyed at myself for not refreshing earlier as was up from 04:30 that day. Sad face.
Yeah I got that same message last week…it was in the middle of the US frenzy that it happened and message was noted on android police. But I don’t know why we got the same message here in Aus. It was only there for about 5 or 10 mins and I thought I was about to bag my shiny new nexus 4… But then the msg was gone!!
Play Store Canada just released their second lot of Nexus 4’s for sale – I don’t know if that has any bearing on the rest of the world though.
yep still waiting. I’ve waited this long, what’s another couple of months? mind you I was pretty angry following the launch, but that’s subsided.
I doubt very much 100k handets sold out in 15 minutes in Australia. Not that many non-geeks would have been waiting and happened know to goto the site without an email from Google. BTW WHY no preorder STILL? Google has really stuffed this one up!
Google have made it pretty clear that they don’t like pre-orders. No pre-orders is less bad pr than delayed or unfulfilled pre-orders.
Was torn between this or the S3, *was*. As much as I’d love one, stuff waiting that long.
No chance. Holding out now for the Galaxy S4 announcement in Feb (hopefully)
I’m one of the lucky ones but really feel for the Nexii faithful who have missed out so far. Hopefully Google pull their finger out!
Not waiting anymore. Getting the Galaxy Note 2, which will arrive in a day or two. Now, happy with my decision. 🙂
Woo I’ll probably get mine back from LG service centre with a new screen by then too…
So glad I didn’t buy this phone or I would’ve been up for a pretty long wait it seems.
Those that ordered are receiving them now. This only affects those that didn’t.
SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY LG!
yep still waiting!
So glad that I was able to grab the 16GB in the first wave of orders. Can only imagine how annoying it must be to have to wait for so long. The >3 months that people are being told now would nearly make the phone a ‘last generation’ device.
Good call. Part of the point of getting one is to have the latest and greatest. By “early 2013” it won’t necessarily be that. My money will most likely have gone elsewhere by then.
I’m mostly disappointed / annoyed at not being contacted by Google when I had requested to be made aware when they became available. That’s just a common courtesy surely?
I am long overdue for a new phone, and I am hoping to deal with it when all the expenses of Christmas are done with. But, I am starting to think that getting a Nexus 4 just isn’t going to happen. I’ll have to see what is around in January.
Me too and good call Wayno. I wanted it Nov or Dec, maaaybe January. If still not available at the end of Jan, I’ll be looking at other devices. In other words if it doesn’t get here in the next month and a bit, from a Google shareholders view, #fail.
“Last generation” only if you go by release date. I believe the specs of the device should survive the couple months wait for demand to subside. In Early 2013, it’s still going to be a cheap device. Patience people.
This makes me so sad 🙁 I hope they at least make them available in the Australian Play Store before then! Take my money Google! I would still love to see some sales volume numbers ……..
if it helps, I picked up mine from fedex on a saturday (was in the absolute first batch of sales) and they said they had just over 10,000 sitting there waiting to go out. This was for all of Victoria and ONLY the first block of sales.
I’m not sure if that makes me feel better or worse. At least it seems like they’ve managed to secure a reasonable number of units for Australia, compared to the US – who allegedly only got twice that number.