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Google Nexus 4 back on sale in UK, but delivery takes a month

The Google Nexus 4 went back on sale today at Google Play, but even if you bagged one it probably won't be with you in time for Christmas.

Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
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Richard Trenholm
2 min read

The Google Nexus 4 is back on sale, and Google is limiting sales to one per person to avoid selling out again. But if you do get your hands on one, it'll take a month to arrive -- so no Nexus 4 for Christmas.

After several weeks out of stock, the Nexus 4 went back on sale today. Delivery time initially depended on which model you opted for. Google Play promised a wait of just one to two weeks for the 16GB model at first, as you can see above, but now both models say they'll take four to five weeks.

The popular Nexus 4 sold out in less than half an hour on its first day on sale, amid chaotic scenes brought about by the huge number of people fighting for the new phone. The chaos was largely thanks to Google's decision not to allow fans to pre-order the Nexus 4. At least Google learnt a lesson from the opening day chaos by limiting sales to one per person.

Google Nexus 4 limited one per person

After selling out initially, the Nexus 4 began showing up on eBay for crazy prices as stock shortages and cheap prices drove many to pick up more than one phone. Fingers crossed there'll be less of that kind of shenanigans this time, as it's both harder for touts to buy multiple phones and easier for genuine phone fans to get the mobile of their dreams.

The popular phone is also available on networks including O2, but for substantially more than if bought directly from Google. At the Google Play online store, the 8GB model costs £239 and the 16GB model is £279. No wonder it sells out, with prices like that -- for a quad-core, 4.7-inch smart phone and the latest Android Jelly Bean software, that's a positive steal.

Have you bagged yourself a Nexus 4? Has Google really messed up with stock cock-ups and delivery delays? Deliver your thoughts in the comments or on our well-stocked Facebook page.

Update 5 December: The 8GB Nexus 4 has sold out again, but the 16GB is still on sale for now. Delivery times have increased though, so it's very unlikely you'll get one before Christmas, unless you're willing to pay over the odds.