When Google announced the LG Nexus 4 last week, one of the most surprising things about the phone was its price. While most unlocked, SIM-free phones cost about $500, Google was selling the Nexus 4 for considerably less. The 8GB version of the phone will sell for $299 and, if you're looking for a 16GB model, you can expect to pay $349. The phone is also selling for a pretty competitive price in Europe. However, for those that do want to sign a contract with their Nexus 4, it's a different story.
On Friday, Spanish retailer The Phone House announced that it was suspending Nexus 4 sales because LG's recommended retail price was €599. The retailer said that because the price was higher than the MSRP offered via Google, the company wasn't going to sell the phone. The Phone House said that doing so would not honor its commitment to provide customers with the lowest price possible.
NDTV writes that the phone is similarly expensive in Italy, Denmark and Austria. For most people, it shouldn't be too much of an issue. While it's unusual that the SIM-free version of a phone be cheaper, those with access to the Google Play Store can simply buy through Google. However, for those that live in countries where there is no Google Play support (Austria and Italy are among them, according to NDTV), the high price of an on-contract Nexus 4 might be a deal breaker.
The Nexus 4 is scheduled to launch November 13 and packs a 4.7-inch 1280x768 IPS display (320 ppi), Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 CPU, 2GB of RAM, 8GB or 16GB of storage, an 8-megapixel camera (1.3-megapixel camera up front), a 2,100mAh Li-Polymer battery, NFC, and Android 4.2. Unfortunately, the phone doesn't have support for 4G LTE, nor does it allow for external storage via MicroSD, which means you're stuck with the capacity you choose at check out.
