LG’s Nexus 4 smartphone rumored for release on October 29

LG is rumored to be preparing a Google Nexus smartphone, and it could be released as soon as October 29.

LG is one of the manufacturers believed to be producing a Nexus phone for Google, potentially under the name of the Nexus 4, Nexus G or Nexus X. Now, French newspaper Le Figaro has published a report saying the device will be released on October 29.

The article doesn’t provide the source of this information, but claims this will be the worldwide release, while France will be introduced to the phone in December. It’s referred to as the Nexus 4 throughout, a name which has been circulating since it was discovered in UK retailer Carphone Warehouse’s computer system.

Leaks of the LG Nexus phone have shown it to be similar in specification to the Optimus G, meaning it will have that monster quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, a 4.7-inch, 1280 x 768 pixel resolution display and an 8-megapixel camera. This would represent a major alteration over the Optimus G, which has a 13-megapixel camera.

A supposed prototype of the Nexus 4 showed up in a series of pictures on the XDA-developers.com forums earlier this week, when it was shown to run Android Jelly Bean, but the version number wasn’t stated. Today, the device has appeared on a Russian website, which confirms all the above specifications, and publishes some new images.

October 29?

Leaving the feature list aside, let’s take a moment to consider that release date. October 29 is also the day that Microsoft will formally announce Windows Phone 8, so would Google really want to take on Microsoft in a battle for headlines on the same day? It’s not about who gets the most, remember, it’s about gaining the best coverage, and competing that way would be strange considering it has 364 other days from which to choose.

That said, if Google is gearing up to launch a host of new Nexus devices — from LG, Samsung, HTC and Motorola — then perhaps it will decide to go head-to-head with Microsoft, as all its hardware has already been revealed. It’s also not all that clear whether the article claims October 29 will be the release date or the date of the announcement. Either way, it’s still going to have to deal with Microsoft.

Then there is the question of the Optimus G, as if LG’s Nexus phone is based on the company’s new flagship — which comes with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich — then it may not want it on the streets beforehand either. The Optimus G is still waiting for its final release date, and rumors include a November date for the US and a December or early 2013 date for Europe and the UK. Any Optimus G-based LG Nexus phone may have to patiently wait its turn.