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Android 4.2.2 update for Nexus 4 wipes out unofficial LTE

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by Jared Peters on
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Nexus_4_1_Million_Sales

Remember not too long ago when some adventurous tinkerers found out you could enable LTE on the Nexus 4 because of how similar the hardware is to the LTE-enabled Optimus G? Well, if you’re one of the few using that trick, you may want to hold off on updating your Nexus 4 to 4.2.2. Apparently, in the latest version of Android Google has completely taken away the ability to turn on LTE for the Nexus 4. It’s definitely a disappointment, but when you think about FCC regulations and the like, it shouldn’t surprise anyone Google made this decision. If you just can’t live without LTE, though, I’m sure a few developers will figure out a way to get that unofficial support back, but until then you’ll just have to live without it.

source: Ars Technica

» See more articles by Jared Peters


Categorized as Android News, Android Phones

  • paxmos

    Question is, why would they not want to sell an LTE capable device?…

    • http://twitter.com/ActuallyIsJerry Jared Peters

      There’s no standardized LTE like there is for GSM and HSPA. The N4 only supports Band 4 which is used in Canada and in extremely limited markets for AT&T. (not sure about other countries.) They would have to make specific models for specific carriers and parts of the world, which they wanted to avoid because it fragments the device and makes it difficult to control and update. It also makes it much more expensive, and Google obviously wanted to hit a very low price point with the device.
      Also, since the device had no FCC approval for its LTE, Google could face some legal trouble if they purposely allowed the device to be easily switched to LTE. Hope that clears that up at least a little bit.

      • paxmos

        Understood and thank you for clarifying this for me. I am personally fine on 3G, but obviously was just wondering.