Seem to be outgrowing my current phone. I'd like a HTC one but don't want to go back to contracts, and sim free is over £500.

Next choice is a nexus 4,but the Google I/O is expected to bring a new nexus 4 or 5, or even the anticipated and rumoured to be carried custom order offering - the Motorola X phone(s). But when would they hit the shops/play store?

The Nexus 4 is a relative bargain SIM free - in fact many times it works out cheaper to buy it from Google Play Store SIM free and get a SIM only deal with a network.

Whether you decide to get the Nexus 4 or wait until something else comes out is a decision that only you can make. No matter what you but now, give a few months and it will be out of date and superseded by something better/bigger/faster/smarter. I've got an HTC Sensation that was one of the top spec handsets when I took out my contract 18 months ago - it's nothing special now at all.

The problems with HTC are their terrible battery life. The build quality always seems really good (but the Nexus 4 is reported to have a very premium feel). The Sense UI on HTC is fantastic and by far and away the nicest manufacturer UI out there (in my opinion), but it also robs a lot of processor/memory power which the "raw" Android experience on the Nexus 4 won't suffer from.

I must admit to wanting a Nexus 4 myself but I'm too tight to pay for one while I still have 6 months left on my current contract.

I got a Nexus 4 after having 4 or 5 HTC handsets and I haven't really missed the Sense interface to be honest.

I would just go for the Nexus now, any handset you buy is eclipsed by the next big thing in a couple of months anyway.

I was tempted with the Sony Xperia Z but when I actually picked one up I found it was too big to hold comfortably.

Was going to get a Nexus 4 but car broke :(

I like the idea of the phone being free of the phone company stuff. Much more likely to be moddable too.

Thanks all.

Just need to value my sensation xe and figure out how to blag it past swmbo......

All high end smartphones have a terrible battery life. The Sense UI has little to no impact on battery life on my HTC One X, I switched to a pure Android ROM and there was no difference.

Just broke my phone so will be waiting for Google I/O first.

Edited 19 April, 201313 yr by Chronicbint

I'v recently gone iPhone 5 - Nokia 820 - Nexus 4. I have to say, I'm loving the nexus big time, even more so when you consider the bargain price.

Got my Nexus 4 beginning of December having had all iphones until the 4, few Blackberry's i was coming to an end of my contract so bought the Nexus, first android experience.

WOW is it good, so customisable, its never put a foot wrong, really really nice to use.

16GB is more than i need but at £280 was a bargain, i got a sim only plan, 1GB data, unlimited mins and texts for £20 from Vodafone.

I consider a nexus 4 but, no micro sd slot, limited memory, no 720p, and battery put me off. However, the Motorola Razr HD ticks all my boxes.

Well today's I/O day......

Well today's I/O day......

So... buy a Nexus4... or get a Galaxy S4 "google edition" which is a S4 without all the samsung ****e... Cost is $650 so probably a fair bit dearer than the Nex4 for not much extra (cpu/ram are similar between the two devices, although the S4 has the amazing screen and LTE too)

Yup disappointed no 32gb Nexus 4.

The S4 is nice, but at that price, not that nice.

I bit the bullet at the weekend with a new handset to replace my HTC Sensation. I'd almost decided on getting the Nexus 4, but had a few concerns with the limited 16GB memory (with no ability to expand), and the glass rear which can be prone to breaking if handled roughly. The other issue for me was no USB OTG.

I had a play with the HTC One, Samsung S4, Sony Xperia Z and the HTC was just more impressive than all of the others. I was also surprised how well the wife took it when I returned home with an expensive new phone

I bit the bullet at the weekend with a new handset to replace my HTC Sensation. I'd almost decided on getting the Nexus 4, but had a few concerns with the limited 16GB memory (with no ability to expand), and the glass rear which can be prone to breaking if handled roughly. The other issue for me was no USB OTG.

I had a play with the HTC One, Samsung S4, Sony Xperia Z and the HTC was just more impressive than all of the others. I was also surprised how well the wife took it when I returned home with an expensive new phone

I do like the HTC One, and it's sleeker than the Nexus when I looked at them side by side in CPW, but I dont want to be tied to a contract again.

I do like the HTC One, and it's sleeker than the Nexus when I looked at them side by side in CPW, but I dont want to be tied to a contract again.

I had to do some serious maths as I still have 6 months left on my contract, but it worked out a bit cheaper to buy the handset SIM free and at the end of my current term go to a SIM only deal with Virgin. Pleased I did seeing as Google haven't announced a 32GB N4!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

Is it still £500+?

Was all set to get a Nexus 4 if they release an LTE model. How disappointing. :(

I didn't realise the Samsung s3/4 had removable batteries and a sd card slot. Big plusses in my book.

You could always root them to clear the Samsung crap.

I didn't realise the Samsung s3/4 had removable batteries and a sd card slot. Big plusses in my book.

You could always root them to clear the Samsung crap.

I just don't see £300 more value in a S4.

I don't know what to go next. One thing these Android phones need to do is get decent cameras. the Nokia ones are superb but I'd lose Android if I went that way. iPhone isn't an option

My Nokia N900 is no longer charging from power-only connections (so mains and car chargers are out) and I had been looking at various Android phones as the closest OS to Maemo on the Nokia (killed off when they went off to Microsoft). I like the look of the Nexus but don't want a phone with no storage expansion. In the end I went for an outsider - a Huawei Ascend P1 - SIM free for just over £200 (arrived yesterday).

It's a similar spec to a Galaxy S2 and comes virtually free of any branding or bloatware. Dual core 1.5MHz with 1GB RAM, 4GB storage and a 960x540 4.3" screen. Plays 720p videos fine. Just popped the 32Gb micro SD card in from the N900 and storage is sorted. Haven't had time to do much with the camera, but it seems as good as the Nokia (supposed to be very good at the time - 2009) from initial tests.

It took a few attempts but paired with the Bolero OK (had similar glitches with the N900).

Higher end Android phones have excellent cameras(for a phone). Most are comparable to any Nokia device, except perhaps the 808 Pureview but then that has Nokia's own OS so its a huge downside.

I have a Nexus 4, and am very happy with it as a smartphone, except...

The memory (16GB) does not allow me to have music on my phone, once I've got satnav and apps on there.

MOSTLY: It will NOT connect to my car. I've a Skoda Octavia 2 (September 09) and it has the 3 spoke steering wheel with bluetooth. For teh past three years my HD2 worked perfectly with it.

Has anyone any idea how I can connect? The app from the play store only works with other phones, and a fairly limited number of them.

Edited 16 May, 201313 yr by Fellwalker

Tried Google Play Music? Space for 20000 of your own songs. I use it all the time, saves having to have music on the device. Though I have unlimited data so dont need to worry about that.

I have a Nexus 4, and am very happy with it as a smartphone, except...

The memory (16GB) does not allow me to have music on my phone, once I've got satnav and apps on there.

MOSTLY: It will NOT connect to my car. I've a Skoda Octavia 2 (September 09) and it has the 3 spoke steering wheel with bluetooth. For teh past three years my HD2 worked perfectly with it.

Has anyone any idea how I can connect? The app from the play store only works with other phones, and a fairly limited number of them.

have you made your phone visible before trying to pair?