Samsung Galaxy Nexus: Why you should think twice before buying a Nexus smartphone

November 17, 2011 12:37 pm

Categories: Mobile Phones News Tags: galaxy nexus, Google, HTC, Nexus One, Nexus S, Samsung

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is on sale in the UK today (November 17th) through Phones4u, and headed to all the major networks shortly. Happy customers have already been leaving stores clutching the Android Ice Cream Sandwich handset, wide smiles etched into their faces. But are they right to be happy, or have they set themselves up for disappointment in the near future?

Cast your mind way, way back to January 2010 and the first ever Nexus-branded handset. The Google Nexus One, manufactured by HTC, was launched with much fanfare and heralded as the first proper Android handset, in much the same way that the Nokia Lumia 800 is being called the first ‘real’ Windows Phone 7 device. It launched the Android 2.1 (Eclair) OS and was, by all accounts at the time, a very decent handset.

If there was one problem with the Galaxy Nexus One it was the trackball. Instead of a touchpad, HTC fitted the Nexus One with a fiddly, protruding, plasticky orb that lit up in a garish manner and felt like it was one hard knock away from falling out and rolling down the street.

This wouldn’t have been too big an issue, if it weren’t for the fact that HTC then took the bare bones of the Nexus One, shunted things about and suddenly launched the HTC Desire in pretty much the same breath.

The HTC Desire was the Google Nexus One but without the unsightly trackpad and with a more solid feel. It sold by the truckload, even in spite of a giant volcanic ash cloud hampering supplies. I bought one and loved it. I had one before I’d even seen a Nexus One in person (albeit, this was due to the trickiness in actually getting one in the UK). When I did, my immediate thought was: ‘Why the hell would you choose that over the Desire?’

Shortly thereafter, Google tore down its sales webpage for the Nexus One and turned it into a general Android store. The Nexus One was quickly forgotten and HTC was suddenly the Android ambassador du jour. Poor planning, perhaps, but I can forgive Google for a one-off mistake.

Except it wasn’t. I could forgive Google if it weren’t for the fact that the whole thing happened again just a year on. This time Google teamed up with Samsung to squeeze out the Samsung Nexus S. It was a beauty with a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, a 1GHz processor and a string of touch sensitive buttons.

It was, for all intents an purposes, a rebranded Galaxy S, which had arrived in June, but was a commendable handset, all the same. The real problem didn’t arise until May this year, when the Samsung Galaxy S2 bounced off the shelves with a far superior dual-core processor, a better camera and a sales figure to rival that of the Bible.

You’d be well within your rights to argue that five months is too big of a gap in releases to be complaining about, but when you’re looking at a two year contract, waiting that little bit longer for a better handset is common practice. Not to mention the fact that Samsung would have been well underway with development of the Galaxy S2 at the same time as the Galaxy S, and you have to question which handset they would have seen as the priority.

Essentially, if you’d have held off on buying the Galaxy S on contract, you’d have managed to get a Galaxy S2. Clever you.

Now we have the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, released today to many an ‘ooh’ and ‘ah’, but more than anything I find it odd that Google would choose to partner with Samsung yet again. Anyone who’s seen this pattern unfold will realise that this latest Nexus comes sandwiched (no pun intended) directly between the Samsung Galaxy S2 and, from rumours circulating the web, the Samsung Galaxy S3.

The Galaxy S3 remains unconfirmed at the time of writing, but it’s a safe bet to assume it’ll be launched in 2012. I’d wager that it’ll have a launch date of May or sooner, meaning that anyone who’s just handed over 2 years of their mobile lives to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus will shortly see their new phone superseded. Perhaps by something quad-core, at that.

The point is, Google has failed over the course of two years and three handsets to convince me that buying into the Nexus brand is a solid move. It feels like you’ll be picking up either a beta device in the run up to a better phone that’s about to launch, or a rehashed version of something that’s already been on the shelves for months.

To make matters worse, there’s another argument to pin to this: the curse of the early adopter. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the first to sport Android Ice Cream Sandwich, but unless you’re at the end of your contract I can’t see much there that really warrants an upgrade from Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

If you have a Samsung Galaxy S2, for instance, there’ll be little in the Galaxy Nexus’ software that’ll strike you as a must-have. Even if you’re desperate to unlock your phone with your face, Samsung has just confirmed it’ll be making Android Ice Cream Sandwich for the Samsung Galaxy S2 a reality imminently.

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is anything but a bad handset. It comes out of the box with the best iteration of Android yet and is rammed with the right amount of power to run it all with ease. My only reservation is that the Nexus brand has been unkind to its early customers in the past.

There has to be a cut-off point in how long is too long to wait for new handsets and when to bite the bullet, which is obviously a decision only you can make. My only advice would be to say that if I were at the end of my contract in this instance, I might hold off for a couple of months and keep my eyes peeled for Samsung news.

Agree or disagree? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Anonymous

I still think Google needs a device that showcases the best of the new OS, if only to appease developers – who lest not forget are more important to a mobile eco-system now than ever. Let them carry around their slice of awesome, act as an evangelist and code apps for ICS.

But yes, the average consumer doesn’t care about being on the bleeding edge. They just want an amazing experience, and the Galaxy S 2 certainly delivers that – while providing better customer support than Google did with the Nexus One. If you don’t know the difference between iOS and the FSA, hang tight: I suspect we’ll be seeing the Galaxy S 2 in February at Mobile World Congress.
http://stevefarnworth.com stevefarnworth

But there’ll always be another high-end Android handset “just around the corner”. If it’s not the S3, it’s the HTC Zeta, or one with the latest Snapdragon chips shoehorned inside. I took the jump and got an Xperia Arc, which was duly replaced a couple of months later with the Arc S – you have to take the plunge at some point, and now I have a phone that’s already a life-cycle behind until May 2013.

Anonymous

Of course, unless you root. My Desire Z contract runs out next November – becUse of root i can look forward to ICS in one form or another.
Miniman200999

Arc is still one of the best phones around though, maybe the specs. sheet doesn’t match up to the current contenders but it’s performance and responsiveness is much more than what a user would require. Not to mention the engineering design puts it at the top against all other smartphones in my opinion.
Miniman200999

Arc is still one of the best phones around though, maybe the specs. sheet doesn’t match up to the current contenders but it’s performance and responsiveness is much more than what a user would require. Not to mention the engineering design puts it at the top against all other smartphones in my opinion.

http://stevefarnworth.com stevefarnworth

But there’ll always be another high-end Android handset “just around the corner”. If it’s not the S3, it’s the HTC Zeta, or one with the latest Snapdragon chips shoehorned inside. I took the jump and got an Xperia Arc, which was duly replaced a couple of months later with the Arc S – you have to take the plunge at some point, and now I have a phone that’s already a life-cycle behind until May 2013.
Karl Rainer

Should Iphone 4s potential customers think twice before buying with the iphone 5 due in 6 months? Perhaps electric pig should warn them, oops too late!

Anonymous

They won’t The Apple cheque has already arrived for this “news” article.

Insha_s

brilliant piece. Shares exactly where my thoughts are and the dilemmas I’m facing. Go with the Galaxy Nexus, or wait for the Galaxy S3

Ravide

Depends on what you want from the handset. Galaxy Nexus is not particularly about the hardware but rather the software and the fact that you will be first in line to get updates. That is what you pay for, in terms of hardware, yes, if you wait till mid or end of 2012 you could get a quad core but the question is why do you need a quad core when the apps are not even fully tweaked for dual cores?
Anonymous

Whichever one you get – root it.

SamR

So… a phone came out, then 5 months later a better phone came out? Therefore, Google is failing to deliver?

There is always a better phone a few months away. Unless you’re dealing with a one phone a year company (ie Apple) this is something you have to get used to. Yes there’s rumours of the S3 that may be out Q2 next year, so let’s say I wait for that. I am willing to bet that as I go to buy my S3 there will be rumours of the next best phone for Q4 2012, so maybe I should wait for that! The cycle goes on for ever and I never upgrade my phone.

Besides the Nexus is about the pure google experience. So yes, I buy a galaxy nexus and 5 months later a ‘better’ phone may come out. But that phone will have some custom interface on it that I will have to root to get rid of and will take months to be updated to any newer iterations of Android while my nexus will receive software updates instantly. Personally, I’d take that over a bump in RAM or processor speed.

One final point, the real evil of this isn’t Google, it’s the carriers for forcing us onto 2 year contracts. What ever happened to the nice 12 month contracts of old?

Anonymous

I’m an Android fan, but I am quite pleased to see Apple is trying to force the networks on this by making them offer 12 month contracts on the iPhone now.

http://twitter.com/mactoc1 mactoc

wp7 has failed so badly,

for three years ago wp has got a market share of 5%

now the market share is under 1%

6.5 has failed

Kin has failed

wp7 has failed.

Samsungs own OS Bada Outsells wp7. I think with no games and no apps its hard to compete.Lte or 4G or Dual core. wp7 is outdated loosers OS
Anonymous

Apple dont ‘try and force’
They make you do it.

Anonymous

I agree with your comments in part, where I disagree it’s because you missed a part of the equation. I agree that it feels like if I buy a phone now in six months time it will be superseded by a much better version. I am dealing with the same thing right now. I have a Droid Charge that Samsung has yet to update to Gingerbread and the likelihood of ICS is worse than a pipe dream. The Rezound is a Thunderbolt 2.0, we can list many other phones that fall into that category.

The one thing that the Nexus brand offers which you did not mention was Android without stupid overlays that either don’t get updated or take too long. For me the draw to the Galaxy Nexus is being up to date in firmware without having to wait on rom makers. I would mention the benefits to developers but that goes without saying.
http://twitter.com/mfg68 MFG

This misinformed article is a crime against humanity.
Talljoseph-eastmidlands

This phone has only just been released so give it a chance for god’s sake! Stop being such a doubter! I’m sure it is a brilliant phone!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Craig-Miller/501636674 Craig Miller

This article is a load of bubllshit
Ravide

A very biased and totally off the mark article. Very misleading indeed. Galaxy Nexus is not particularly about the hardware but rather the software and the fact that you will be first in line to get updates. That is what you pay for, in terms of hardware, yes, if you wait till mid or end of 2012 you could get a quad core but the question is why do you need a quad core when the apps are not even fully tweaked for dual cores? There seems to be so much hype about hardware and i think you have lost the essence of the Galaxy Nexus which is without a doubt the OS i.e. ICS/Android 4.0 !
Mark

I think you could say that about any phone. Just wait a few more months for the latest and greatest to arrive…

Having a November release is awkwrd for the nexus as it falls between the flagship phone of android’s release schedule, i.e. between sgs1 and sgs2. This will always be the case but my hessitancy is the size of the phone. sgs2 can get uncomfortable in a jeans pocket and this new nexus is slightly wider but a bit longer. Yes the screen ans software are the best yet but that extra heft is a worry. The quesion for me is if the sgs3 will follow with a bigger handset again when I preferred the sgs1 for size.
http://twitter.com/gautamvaidya Gautam Vaidya

I disagree with this article much like the other comments before me. One point the author is missing is, Google isn’t in the business of bringing out a handset that other Android handsets won’t be able to compete against for the next 2 year, on the contrary, it would be detrimental to their objective as a Mobile OS vender to do so. They want evolution, because that what get’s us to upgrade and that’s what networks want.

5 months is a very long time in tech terms, and yes we should be angry that we’re getting roped into 2 year contracts, but that’s got nothing to do with any Nexus. Android is a loose OS, and hence, unless the stars align, it’s very difficult to get a perfect example, one that app developers can code against with minimized hardware / OS issues to deal with – THAT’S what Google is doing with the Nexus line … making the stars align.
http://twitter.com/adambunker Adam Bunker

I do accept that there will always be a new phone around the corner, it’s just that something with the Nexus brand doesn’t sit with me. I’m not suggesting that manufacturers should go down the Apple route and release one handset a year, it’s just that when a manufacturer (Samsung in this instance) launches a Nexus phone and their own flagship device only shortly thereafter, you’ve got to acknowledge that the Nexus was always second on their list of priorities.

It’s a very valid point that the Nexus handsets are for developers first and foremost, but many consumers who aren’t as deep into tech as those in this comment feed won’t necessarily know that.

I suppose that it’s always difficult to know when to stop waiting and take the plunge. Especially now it’s almost impossible to get a contract of under two years.

http://twitter.com/mactoc1 mactoc

wp7 has failed so badly,

for three years ago wp has got a market share of 5%

now the market share is under 1%

6.5 has failed

Kin has failed

wp7 has failed.

Samsungs own OS Bada Outsells wp7. I think with no games and no apps its hard to compete.Lte or 4G or Dual core. wp7 is outdated loosers OS

Guest

What’s the point of this article exactly? You bought a Desire, therefore by your own logic you’re an idiot for not waiting for the Desire HD. And if you bought the Desire HD you would have been an idiot for not waiting for the Desire S and so on… how do you ever buy a phone?

And to say that it’s almost impossible to get anything less than a 24 month contract is ridiculous. I picked up the Sensation on an 18 month contract, free, with 1GB data, unlimited texts and 900 minutes for £35 per month when it first came out

http://twitter.com/adambunker Adam Bunker

The point of the article is to express my opinion on the Nexus brand. I see it as something to be wary of more than any other cycle of phones, if only due to the past Nexus releases, but everyone’s obviously more than welcome to their own opinions.

I offer up this argument as, in this specific instance, I would genuinely advise a friend to wait to see what Samsung does next.

Ravide

I totally disagree with you Adam. Remember the hardware is only as good as the software that runs it, so why would you advice your friend to wait for Samsung’s next release? The OS at best would be Android 4.0 and then a couple of months later when Google updates to Android 4.1, everyone with a Galaxy Nexus would be up and running and your friend will have to wait another 3-4 months before seeing it by which time Samsung would have released another latest and greatest. In the mean time those folks with Galaxy Nexus would be looking forward to JellyBean. If you are waiting for the ‘best’ hardware then i am afraid you will be waiting indefinitely. Even a single core 1 Ghz phone running Android 4.0 (i.e. Nexus S) would be more than sufficient for most folks. If your friend is not too bothered about the OS then maybe you should advice your friend to wait for the Android 4.0 on the Galaxy S2 and then buy that phone by which time the contracts would be sweeter if not shorter.

In summary your article is flawed for one good reason, you are comparing apples to oranges (no pun intended). You can only compare Nexus devices to each other i.e. Nexus, Nexus S, Galaxy Nexus etc. those that are released pretty much once a year. You can’t compare Nexus devices to other android phones which are coming out thick and fast. In Feb 2012, dual core would be ‘considered’ obsolete
Ravide

I totally disagree with you Adam. Remember the hardware is only as good as the software that runs it, so why would you advice your friend to wait for Samsung’s next release? The OS at best would be Android 4.0 and then a couple of months later when Google updates to Android 4.1, everyone with a Galaxy Nexus would be up and running and your friend will have to wait another 3-4 months before seeing it by which time Samsung would have released another latest and greatest. In the mean time those folks with Galaxy Nexus would be looking forward to JellyBean. If you are waiting for the ‘best’ hardware then i am afraid you will be waiting indefinitely. Even a single core 1 Ghz phone running Android 4.0 (i.e. Nexus S) would be more than sufficient for most folks. If your friend is not too bothered about the OS then maybe you should advice your friend to wait for the Android 4.0 on the Galaxy S2 and then buy that phone by which time the contracts would be sweeter if not shorter.

In summary your article is flawed for one good reason, you are comparing apples to oranges (no pun intended). You can only compare Nexus devices to each other i.e. Nexus, Nexus S, Galaxy Nexus etc. those that are released pretty much once a year. You can’t compare Nexus devices to other android phones which are coming out thick and fast. In Feb 2012, dual core would be ‘considered’ obsolete

http://twitter.com/dave_everett Dave Everett

Like most others I’m not sure I see the point of this article, it seems biased and just against the galaxy nexus for no good reason. If you’d complained about the size of the phone or a genuine fault fair enough but to say its rubbish because a better phone will be released is madness. Android needs the flagship phone even if it falls behind before the next one is released, the fault is with them relying on a manufacturer who will then go on and make a better handset in 5 months for you to make this comparison (i personally disagree but this seems to be what is being got at here). All I can think of a solution is Google putting that acquisition of motorola mobility to good use and taking the reigns on the nexus in house in future and releasing it iphone style once a year and letting other manufacturers fill all the gaps in the market.

As for the 24 month contract debate it’s a fact that carriers would rather you stay put for 2 year to pay for the phone, shorter contracts are out there but they cost more so it’s a choice you need to make yourself. Personally I’ve taken to just paying upfront for a sim free phone and managed to slash my bill to a £10 a month 1 month contract with the same allowance as a £35 a month one with the same phone. I figure i save £20 a month on my bill so will have the £300 phone paid off in 12 months, has i gone for the SGS2 it would have taken 20 months, a bit longer to pay it off but it’s still less than 24 months the networks were trying to charge me at the time

http://twitter.com/adambunker Adam Bunker

You’re exactly right, Dave: the solution lies in Google’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility. If every other handset manufacturer were left alone to launch as many Android handsets as they like, but Moto slowed down to one Motorola Nexus handset per year, it’d iron out my worries with Nexus entirely.

For the record, I agree that the Galaxy Nexus is a brilliant phone. You wouldn’t be unhappy if you bought one, it’s just that I’ve been put off by the brand in the past.I love a good healthy debate, me.
http://twitter.com/adambunker Adam Bunker

You’re exactly right, Dave: the solution lies in Google’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility. If every other handset manufacturer were left alone to launch as many Android handsets as they like, but Moto slowed down to one Motorola Nexus handset per year, it’d iron out my worries with Nexus entirely.

For the record, I agree that the Galaxy Nexus is a brilliant phone. You wouldn’t be unhappy if you bought one, it’s just that I’ve been put off by the brand in the past.I love a good healthy debate, me.

http://twitter.com/dave_everett Dave Everett

Like most others I’m not sure I see the point of this article, it seems biased and just against the galaxy nexus for no good reason. If you’d complained about the size of the phone or a genuine fault fair enough but to say its rubbish because a better phone will be released is madness. Android needs the flagship phone even if it falls behind before the next one is released, the fault is with them relying on a manufacturer who will then go on and make a better handset in 5 months for you to make this comparison (i personally disagree but this seems to be what is being got at here). All I can think of a solution is Google putting that acquisition of motorola mobility to good use and taking the reigns on the nexus in house in future and releasing it iphone style once a year and letting other manufacturers fill all the gaps in the market.

As for the 24 month contract debate it’s a fact that carriers would rather you stay put for 2 year to pay for the phone, shorter contracts are out there but they cost more so it’s a choice you need to make yourself. Personally I’ve taken to just paying upfront for a sim free phone and managed to slash my bill to a £10 a month 1 month contract with the same allowance as a £35 a month one with the same phone. I figure i save £20 a month on my bill so will have the £300 phone paid off in 12 months, has i gone for the SGS2 it would have taken 20 months, a bit longer to pay it off but it’s still less than 24 months the networks were trying to charge me at the time
http://gizmodot.com Bex

I’m finding the comments more interesting than the story. I do agree with the article to some degree but, it happens with all manufacturers. I have the Xperia Arc S and within 6 months, they release the Arc S. I also have the HTC Sensation and about 2 months after getting it, they announced the Sensation XE and the Sensation XL. I didn’t realise the Galaxy Nexus was actually released today, I had a quick look at one while I was out, a long with the Nexus S as it happens, which I much prefer tbh. I’m sure the SGS3 will be out in around 5 months time again but, it is what happens. One thing that did really stick though, was in the comments, that this isn’t top of Samsung’s priorities. I think that’s a very valid point and perhaps should be included in the article, as one of the reasons why you should think twice before buying the Galaxy Nexus.
Anonymous

If in doubt, root.
You have unrivalled choice then.
Little moanin about Apple making a phone literally the sane as its predecessor and waiting a year.
Sven Banan

So, if I understand the essence of your article correctly, what you’re saying is you are guessing (although without any facts or statements from manufacturers to back it up) that if we wait another half year, a new phone, possibly even better, might be released? I think you have a future in fortune telling my friend, psychics of the world watch out…
Anonymous

A new iPhone comes out every year or so.
An android superphone is usually branded as samsung, htc, motorola or nexus Significant improvements come one or two times a year.
And a contract for a phone of value ~£500 is often going to be two years.
So basically, there’s no way to prevent your phone getting outdated during the length of your contract. You might as well buy something that looks good and will be released soon.

Nexus One: Jan 2010
Desire: Feb 2010, No notable improvements
Galaxy S: Jun 2010, small camera/screen upgrade
Nexus S: December 2010, Minor general tweaks
Galaxy S II, HTC Sensation: April 2011, Major upgrades incl. screen, power, camera
Galaxy Nexus: Nov 2011, Major screen upgrade, minor tweaks

As far as I can tell, there have been no two-year gaps in the past two years where the top range android phones have not moved on. On the flipside, you should not be unhappy if your phone is outdated within 5 months or so… that’s just progress.

To take an example, you may say that Nexus S owners could have waited 5 months for the latest Galaxy S II. And Galaxy Nexus owners should perhaps wait 6 months to get the Galaxy S3.
Yet what about us Galaxy S II owners, with our now inferior screens, who could have waited 7 months for the new nexus? oh wait, perhaps we should have waited over a year for the Galaxy S 3?

In short, technology moves on, out-of-date-ness is inevitable, deal with it.
Nathan

What a rubbish article. You can always wait for the next better device. But the Galaxy Nexus is vanilla ICS which means you get quicker updates and pure Google experience which suits some people just fine.
Sfeaston

On your theory, noone would ever buy an iPhone as they improve it every few months and put another letter after the name
John M.

I call BS on this article. All the phones mentioned in this article run exactly the same apps and they all run them well. Most Android apps have a very small codebase and do not actually require alot of processor power. That’s why an app that works well on the S2 or Sensation will also work almost as well on the Desire. There are a few hardware differences, but if the software runs well the hardware differences don’t matter too much. Any difference in speed or performance is minimal. Having quad core wont make much difference because the software already was designed for and runs well on single and dual core. So , If you get the S2 now you will have no problem running apps a year from now.
John M.

Developers like myself are not going to start adding extra classes to our already working apps because of quad core.
Mike

I was a phone freak for 3 years waiting for the perfect device and reading every article I could find on the upcoming latest phones, “is that it?, is that the one?” Well, I finally settled on the Nexus, and a year later, I do not and have not regretted my purchase for one minute. As I watched my brothers have problems with android 2.2 on the Galaxy phones and all the new dual core phones come out with little more than a faster processor to offer, I rested in peace with my Nexus S. I believe to this day that there is not a better looking phone (the HTC HD2 was awesome but had crappy windows software), and I would argue none more reliable. To boot, Google maintains the software for this line of phones more than any other. Forget the phone chasing – there’s none perfect, just be satisfied with a very good one and the Nexus is that. I highly recommend it. and regarding 2 year contracts, I bought the phone outright and don’t have a contract. With T-Mobile, my month by month plan is $20 cheaper per month because I’m not in a contract – that’s a $480 savings over two years. No brainer
Anonymous

Is it just me or isnt that how technology progresses? one day something good comes out then a little while latter they bring out something better. If you hold off for an S3 then the next nexus will be round the corner. This is just dire though does point out the biggest Android flaw and that is inconsitstant expiriance resulting in a need for more power. I sau buy a wp7 device and be happy lol. No more flashing hard resets and hours of trouble shooting why my battery isnt lasting as long as it was last week.
http://www.opethian.com Alan Gurling

“But are they right to be happy, or have they set themselves up for disappointment in the near future?”

Ummm… Yeah? Of course they should be happy! What you seem to forget about Nexus phones, is that they will always have the latest version of Android, up to a point where the hardware can’t match the software anymore. Even if it had a trackball or not.

Technology moves very fast, and that’s with all the big companies putting on the brakes, trickle-feeding the good stuff to us to get more profits.

Samsung’s had the technology for “shatter proof lcd” (do a YouTube search to see it in action) since last year, but they’re just releasing it next year as a “wristwatch/bracelet” type mobile device. I wonder what Apple will have to counter that. That doesn’t mean we wait for it.

There will always be something better around the corner. Unless you’re Apple.
mpw

I think there is a general disconnect between phone manufacturers and mobile phone operators in that the now common place 2-year contract is incompatible with the very short new product cycles.

I look at the Nokia Lumia 800 which I would like to sign up on a reasonable contract. But not at 2-years length. And given that 2012 will see a new bunch of Nokia Windows phones, plus the introduction of the Samsung & HTC variants why would I want to spend money and tie myself into a long contract for a Lumia 800 (without certain standard features included compared to its competition) when this new stuff will be with us within six months?

What’s the answer? Option of 12 month contracts with more up-front payment on the phone; I’d go for this. Better communication between phone manufacturers and phone operators to realise that increasing monthly costs (data charges are extortionate – I’m just glad I have a monthly SIM with true unlimited data) are crippling and people just don’t have £500 every six months to blow on a phone and sign a new contract. Equally, the cost of phones is becoming increasingly expensive – the head of o2 UK was spot-on in saying €400 was too much for the starting price o many manufacturers!

There is a possibility, I believe, of the mobile market going stagnant in terms of mass adoption of a new phone. Not all phones will generate iPhone records. The majority of people will look carefully at spending on phone and usage and determine to keep their money rather than blow it on potential value.

Message: wake up and smell the coffee before you slay the goose that lays the golden egg!
Francis

I have a nexus one and a htc desire. Nexus one is still my main go to phone and I especially love the form factor. Solid and thin and track ball is cool. Desire though faster has a cheaper feel about its construction so you lost me there. Two years on and N1 still feels as if in a class of its own..
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=596771494 Matthew Lyons

Got to say this isn’t a great article, you could take out Galaxy Nexus and insert any phone name and you would have the same problem.
Anonymous

Another “news” story with an Agenda.. Come on at least TRY and hide the agenda…
http://kieransampson.com Kieran Sampson

This post is utter nonsense! How can you call this journalism? Your point seems to be “Don’t buy a nexus (or any other Android phone) because within months a better one will come out. Even Apple fans would see through this I’m sure.

Surely the fact that so many manufacturers have adopted the Android platform is a testament to just how good it is for them, developers and end users. If it ware a terrible platform then phones with Android on board wouldn’t be produced.

This truly is a terrible “Article” and you don’t have to be an Android fan to see it. If you go through life waiting for the “Next big thing.” you’ll never get anything. I hope you didn’t buy the computer you wrote this post on. A better one will be out before you know it.

Anonymous

I think the point is that for many it’s best to wait on the Nexus brand in particular. I don’t entirely agree with it but I’d say it was true after the Nexus One support disaster. Nexus S was handled much better.

http://twitter.com/tbarlott Tim Barlott

Progress, innovation, competition…all things that lead to this “problem”.

The rapid turnover of ‘bigger and better’ devices is exciting and a reflection of the industry. I love it!

But the original Nexus devices are still great. A friend of mine has had the Nexus One since launch week and still loves it, he has no intention of giving it up anytime soon.
http://twitter.com/tbarlott Tim Barlott

Progress, innovation, competition…all things that lead to this “problem”.

The rapid turnover of ‘bigger and better’ devices is exciting and a reflection of the industry. I love it!

But the original Nexus devices are still great. A friend of mine has had the Nexus One since launch week and still loves it, he has no intention of giving it up anytime soon.
Luis Howell

this is all rubbish, the way you are putting it across is that there is no point buying a phone as a better one will be released soon. Of course better phones will come out, it how the world works. You have to buy a phone at some point and in my opinion that phone should be the galaxy nexus.
bohannon67

I can see the authors point but like so many others have posted it is the same with any phone. If you are into the Nexus brand then the next one won’t be released till a year from now so it is not relevant another android device will be released in between times. As for the handset itself, it came out top on UK’s Channel 5 The Gadget Show against all the other top Droids and iphone 4s which is a major feat considering the presenters love of all things Apple.They didn’t include the GS2 in the tests which was particularly frustrating as it is THE top handset out there at the moment. I’m a GS1 owner and love it but due to the 2year contract couldn’t upgrade to S2, such is life when you like the latest device. The upcoming GS3 will most probable be my next phone on release and think i’ll grasp the nettle and buy it sim free, go £10pm sim and sell it in a year when the S4 will probably come out and get a reasonable amount for it.

By all accounts Samsung have done a top job with the GN but who can blame them if they have witheld the top tech for their own (and Androids) next mind blowing flagship?

Anonymous

An excellent plan, if I may say – I’m never buying a phone on contract again for these reasons.

Iz_1011

Its kind off sucks when u get the nexus then something from the company build a phone which is a little or a lot better then nexus. For iPhone at least u know ounces a year there have a new phone but for Android there have a new and better phone coming out around the corner.
Iz_1011

Its kind off sucks when u get the nexus then something from the company build a phone which is a little or a lot better then nexus. For iPhone at least u know ounces a year there have a new phone but for Android there have a new and better phone coming out around the corner.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus: Why you should think twice before buying a Nexus smartphone

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