O2 UK is rumored to have snagged a special exclusivity with Google’s newly announced LG Nexus 4. According to Pocket-Lint, O2 has secured a one-month exclusivity period, which gives them first dibs on offering the handset in its stores. Anyone who wants to buy the device to use on another network will have to go online through the Google Play Store, or wait until mid-December when other networks get their shot to sell the stock Android 4.2 Jelly Bean smartphone.
Furthermore, O2 and LG are said to have partnered to give away free LG TVs to the first hundred Nexus 4 buyers in the UK. The Nexus 4 will be available on the November 13 launch day.
This is a big deal for Google, letting a carrier from the United Kingdom grab exclusivity of the device, shows the Nexus brand as a valuable option. Not to mention, it’s a big play with the European crowd, as the phone carries everything folks out there are used to like a powerful processor, HSPA+, awesome screen, etc. It’s clear that Google’s no compromise approach with the US carriers is playing out here, as it seems to be seeking a dominant position across seas instead.
The search giant seems to have stepped away from dealing with the major carriers in the United States — not offering LTE in its latest Nexus phone is telling. That said, it’ll be interesting to see what kind of attention O2 can gain from putting their marketing behind the LG Nexus 4 exclusivity.
[via Pocket-Lint]