For many people, LTE isn't critical. The Nexus 4 has DC-HSPA+ anyhow which is pretty much the same exact speeds as T-Mobile's LTE(speaking for both my market and NYC because those are the only places I've tested), only difference is latency.
It may not be critical, but is it a downgrade? Yes. You're saying it's ok for you, but is it actually better that you use HSPA over LTE? I highly doubt it. Maybe T-Mobile's LTE network is still young, but I can't really see why someone should be using HSPA over LTE on AT&T unless of course they're prone to going over their data limits easily in which case that would still be a problem on HSPA.
The Nexus 4 shipped with the same storage as many phones from 2012...HTC One X shipped with 16GB storage and it sold well. Apple iPhone comes with 16GB storage and didn't come with LTE for a long while(until the iPhone 5 last fall despite Android phones coming with it almost 2 years prior).
Why weren't you complaining about gimped storage and LTE on the basic iPhone then? And why aren't you complaining about the gimped storage on the basic iPhone now?
The iPhone 3GS in 2009 came out at a 16/32gb option. The iPhone since has gone with the 16/32gb configuration. We can argue that Apple has stagnated and hasn't progressed, but that isn't the point is it? 16gb is the MINIMUM the iPhone launched with and 16gb was the MINIMUM the HTC One launched with. And please, don't tell me that was just fine. There are tons of complaints about the HTC One X being at ONLY 16gb.
The last iPhone to use the 8gb/16gb configuration was the iPhone 3G in 2008. This is Android. I thought one of the selling points of Android phones was SD Cards and people made fun of Apple for charging $100 more for storage? But I guess that's not really a benefit anymore of Android. And if anything, that storage is more important on Android--a platform where you can dump your movies and multimedia and files because Google doesn't restrict you like Apple does with file types.
As for the iPhone, yeah, it sucks that it's only 16gb. If I had my way I'd get a 32gb iPhone at least, but work's not going to give me anything more. But at least there's a 64gb option if someone really wanted that. As I said before, if you really want that $249 Nexus go for it, but I'll gladly pay the $599 for a flagship model with 64gb storage, LTE, etc. and no compromises. I'm sure there's many other people who bought the Nexus 4 who will agree that they would easily have paid $100 more for more storage, better battery, LTE, etc.
Oh please...nonremovable sd card and battery does
NOT automatically equal better build quality, smaller form factor like you claim.
I can give many examples of phones that come with both and are smaller or have just as good quality.
I can also give examples of phones that have nonremovable sd card and battery are just "meh" or even of completely dubious quality.
http://www.droiddog.com/android-blo...ot-including-microsd-slot-in-usuk-one-models/
HTC neutering non-removable sd card and battery is not because they want to make their phones smaller or of better build quality, it's simply a design choice selected by their engineers.
I'm not arguing that nonremovable sd card and battery automatically equates to better build quality or smaller form factor. Are you saying that you can design JUST as small of a phone with removable batteries and SD card? I don't get what finding an exception proves. I was never saying there aren't any exceptions. I was just saying that it's possible to improve build quality and decrease thickness by going non-removable. Are you saying if Samsung went with a nonremovable option the GS4 would be fatter? Or are you saying had HTC built the One with removable storage and battery that it would be better built and thinner? None of us have the answer to that because all we have are apples to oranges comparisons by finding one exception to the rule, and we can't say what the iPhone would have been with removable versus non-removable battery. Anyway, this is besides the point.
What I'm saying is by going with the non-removable route HTc wasn't trying to neuter the phone. Yes it's a compromise, but that's the reason HTC offers a 64gb version of their phone. It's a design choice like you said. To some this could be a dealbreaker, but this isn't the definition of neuter. Neutering would be removing the expandable storage option and then offering an 8gb/16gb option ONLY.
The ASUS Memopad is selling for less than the price of the Nexus 7.
If anyone wants to get it, they can.
An Asus Memopad sells for <$160...They're not anywhere near the same price range as a $200-229 Nexus 7 and they don't even use the same SoC to begin with.
If all the person wants to do is check email on their tablet, why should they spend an extra $70 to get a Nexus 7? I absolutely can consider getting such a tablet for my mom since I know that's all she's going to do with it. Why pay more for something I know she doesn't need or want?
Perhaps, but basically the $200 tablet market is just Amazon and Google. Who really competes at that range? Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 and its 1024x600 resolution? You can probably remember how many threads slamming 1024x600 tablets and why anyone would buy anything else than a Nexus 7.
I think it's pretty hard to compete at this level when the $199 Nexus 7 from 2012 costs $185 or so to build. How do you expect anyone to get close?
Speak for yourself. I'm sure some people would say a phone without a Notification LED is far more critical than LTE or storage.
Just like I'm sure that people will say a phone without an unlocked boot loader or ability to flash ROMs isn't critical. For me it's critical. For you or most people, it may not be so...But for me, it is.
Okay, they may be critical, you're right, but the notification LED is not really a standard yet. We have one manufacturer (Moto) arguing its not necessary and there are better ways. We have other manufacturers half putting them in (HTC), we have others embracing it. It's still a confusing strategy. While it's critical, it's not gimping a phone in the sense that there isn't some sort of universal expectation of an LED notification light.
On the other hand, if you cut storage to 8gb/16gb, I'd say that's pretty obvious gimping. Even if you're ok with 8gb it's far below the norm, so yes that to me is neutering the phone specs. So is cutting out LTE when other flagship phones have it at that point in time.
The Nexus was designed to have a smaller battery and will obviously lose.
Why is the same excuse not acceptable for a Nexus, but the opposite is allowed for Motorola?
The Maxx is market as a regular phone, not a special phone.
I don't really understand you here. The complaints about the Nexus battery are not because its too small. It's sized just fine against the GS3 and HTC One X. The performance was just less than stellar, and worse than its Optimus G counterpart.
The Maxx is not a regular phone. The regular phone is the Droid Razr or Droid Ultra (whatever the hell it is now). The fact is Motorola makes it a separate phone. It's a phone with the intent of having one of the largest if not the largest integrated batteries. Like I said, if you want to compare batteries, go for it, but it's no surprise the Maxx will win, which means there's no point in saying a phone sucks because the Maxx is better.
The problem with your Camry and Accord comparison is that a $300-400 Nexus 4 and a $600 Optimus G is not anywhere near the same price range.
Sure, they may have almost the same engine except the higher priced one comes with a deck lid spoiler, a slightly bigger interior, and 18" chrome wheels, but it's not priced anywhere near the same range. And they're certainly not competing for the same market(tech enthusiasts, Android purists, developers, and anyone does that wants a cheap "unlocked" high-end phone) like a Honda Accord and Toyota Camry are.
You're using an apples to oranges comparison though. What I'm saying is you can't compare the petrol versions of the Accord and Camry and then pull the hybrid version and say "well HA!" It's like when the Accord fan says the 2013 Accord gets better mileage than the 2013 Camry, and then the Camry fan says, well the Camry Hybrid does even better, so therefore your Accord is nothing. Okay, so what's the point? The Hybrid obviously does better than the petrol version in gas efficiency, so what did you prove there? Yes it's a regular car that's sold at the dealership too, so what?
I'm not talking about $300 versus $600. I'm talking about the Maxx. If I say a phone is good in battery life, you will bring up the Note 2 and Maxx. I've already shown you the Note 2 is a different class and that's not a good comparison. You then bring up the Maxx. But I've already shown you that the Maxx is a different kind of phone. It wins in battery, but it doesn't necessarily prove the phone you're comparing it against sucks in battery.
In the end I don't get WHAT you're trying to say. Are you trying to say the Nexus is not gimped/neutered? I really don't get why you're just trying to jump on a few lines out of context like what I said about non-removable SD cards and stuff.