Google Nexus 4 Backordered Until 2013

Those who order an iPhone 5 from Apple have to wait a week to receive it. But that's nothing compared to the recently-released Nexus 4 -- orders for the most popular version of this Android device won't ship until mid-Winter.

The Google Play store warns customers that the 8GB version of the Nexus 4 by LG won't ship for 8 - 9 weeks, which means this device won't arrive until the second half of January.

Those who order the more expensive 16GB version also have a wait -- it's 4 - 5 weeks, but at least there's a possibility the device might arrive by New Years Day.

The reason for these long wait times is not clear. One theory is that, with prices starting at $300 without a contract, Google just isn't making very many units -- there's almost no incentive, as it's selling this smartphone with very little profit.

T-Mobile also sells a version, but this is listed on the telecom's website as "Sold Out". A new shipment arrived earlier this week but it is gone already, and the carrier hasn't said when it will get more.

More About the Google Nexus 4

This handset built by LG sports has a 4.7-inch display with a 1280 x 720 resolution.

The Nexus 4 has a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor with 2GB of RAM. It runs Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean), a new version that brings new features such as 360 degree panorama picture-taking capabilities and Gesture Typing, which lets users glide their finger over the letters they want to type on the keyboard.

The device features an 8 megapixel rear camera, as well as a 1.3 megapixel front-facing one.

Google Play has a version with 8GB of storage for $300, while a 16GB one is $350. T-Mobile's version has 16GB of storage, and goes for $200 with contract.

The Google Play versions are unlocked, and are sold without a contract. They can be used with almost any GSM network. T-Mobile's version, on the other hand, is locked. 

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