Nexus 4 stock issues caused by ‘huge demand,’ LG says

As you already know, the Google Nexus 4 is out of stock in most markets where Google is selling it via its Play Store. In case you haven’t purchased yours yet, chances to get one before Christmas aren’t looking that great, especially if you’re hoping to get one at an affordable (Google Play Store) price.

However, neither Google nor LG are ready to tell us how many Nexus 4 units have been sold to date, with Google selling one not one, but two batches of fourth-gen Nexus handsets so far.

Andy Coughlin, LG UK’s head of mobile division told CNET that the Nexus 4 sold out because of “huge demand,” without mentioning any sales numbers or how many Nexus 4 units Google ordered so far. Has Google failed to foresee the avalanche of Nexus 4 orders that would come in? Or did it intentionally create this situation in order to generate Nexus 4 interest? Whatever the case, don’t expect any party to confirm such details:

I asked whether LG has agreed with Google the level of Nexus 4 stock that will be sold through the Google Play store, and the amount to be sold through other channels.

“As with any sales process, LG supplies product quantities against partners’/customers’ (ie retailers, operators etc) forecasts,” Coughlin explained, going on to say, “demand via the Play Store has been very high in this instance.”

Considering that Google is selling the Nexus 4 for less than what you’d expect to pay for a flagship device, therefore its profit margins can’t be that high, having the Nexus 4 out of stock in various markets at this time of year isn’t necessarily a bad thing for Google, as it helps the company keep the Nexus buzz at high levels throughout the holiday season.

IHS mobile media senior principal analyst Ian Fogg told CNET that this marketing strategy is definitely helping Google with its Android-related objectives:

[...] ”It’s hard to say whether Google underestimated demand, or whether they chose simply to have a number of devices available,” also commenting that regardless of stock shortages, “the fact that the Nexus 4 is high profile is good for Google”.

“All of this raises the public profile of Android,” Fogg said. “All of this helps Google’s strategic objectives.”

Are you still looking to buy a Nexus 4 handset or did you purchased yours already?

My source:
androidauthority