Google apologizes for Nexus 4 delays, slides some of the blame onto LG
Although I’ve finally received my LG Nexus 4 from Google Play, there are still many buyers that have ordered and paid for their devices, but still aren’t receiving them. Naturally, this has been quite frustrating for these Android fans, and all over the internet there are stories from people who ordered during the very first offering of the Nexus 4 and who haven’t received it, while others who ordered within the last week are getting tracking information. There’s also those who have ordered with an estimated ship time of a couple weeks, and have now had their orders bumped several weeks into the future.
Needless to say, despite good sales, the launch of the Nexus 4 went rather badly for Google. And until now, the company had been mostly silent on the issue, adding to customer’s distaste because it felt like Google didn’t care about the problems. Finally, though, Google has broken its silence on the issues, through the managing director of Google UK & Ireland, Dan Cobley. On Google+, Cobley said that the various problems that buyers have been experiencing are “unacceptable,” and that they are working to solve everyone’s problems. This sounds to me like the basic problem response line, but it is still nice to hear.
Going into more specifics, Cobley said that at least in the UK, many orders with 3-5 week estimates will be going out this week, and quite a few more orders will finish processing this week. He does admit that the “communication has been flawed,” and that the treatment of Google’s early adopters hasn’t been good. According to Cobley, this is due to “scarce and erratic” supply from the manufacturer, which shifts some of the blame for the problems onto LG. He also says that some orders will have their shipping charges refunded, which is something that I personally complained about and wouldn’t mind at all.
This explanation, although it doesn’t really reveal anything that couldn’t have been fairly easily guessed, is still good to hear from Google. Although it didn’t come through an official email or blog post, Google is finally taking some of the responsibility for the problems, and confirmed that it is working to fix them. All Google really has to do to make it right is communicate, get Nexus 4 orders out, and refund some shipping charges, but I’d be happiest with just a free bumper.
[The Verge]
