It used to be the iPhone 5, but now it looks like the Google-LG Nexus 4 smartphone is the hardest one to find. T-Mobile has sold out of the Nexus 4 again, LG has confirmed supply shortages, and it's impossible to get one through Google Play until 2013 .
After initially running out of stock, T-Mobile began selling the Nexus 4 again last week. Sadly, a look at T-Mobile's online store shows that the carrier has run out of stock again. T-Mobile was selling the 16GB Nexus 4 model for $199.99 with a two-year contract.
Responding to questions from CNET UK about the Nexus 4 supply, LG's head of mobile Andy Coughlin stated that the smartphone "had proven extremely popular, and as such retailers have been met with huge demand."
There's also evidence that Google underestimated the public demand for an affordable, unlocked, cutting-edge Android smartphone. The Mountain View tech giant simply ordered too little.
"As with any sales process, LG supplies product quantities against partners'/customers' (ie retailers, operators etc) forecasts," Coughlin explained. "Demand via the Play Store has been very high in this instance."
And demand is high. Google's Play Store is currently sold out of the $299.99 8GB variant. The $349.99 16GB model is still available for purchase, but Google Play states that it will take 5-6 weeks to ship, meaning it won't arrive until 2013 even if you order it now.
Of course, there's always third-party retailers such as Ebay, but the handset will cost around $250 more than Google Play's price.
The reason the Nexus 4 is so appealing is because of its price tag and unlocked nature. The smartphone can be used almost anywhere in the world, does not come with a contract (unless ordered through T-Mobile, and offers incredibly high-end hardware for its price. The Nexus 4 also receives the latest version of Google the earliest, due to its Nexus branding.
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