Google’s Nexus 4 may have flown off the shelves in under an hour, but those now waiting for the latest flagship Android phone may feel a little disappointment when they learn that a popular feature advertised by Google doesn’t actually work.
That feature is USB OTG, or USB ‘On The Go’. Advertised by Google as being supported by the Nexus 4, USB OTG means that you can connect almost any USB peripheral to the device via a micro USB to female USB adapter. Arguably the most popular use of this technology is connecting a gamepad controller to use with high end games such as Dead Trigger and Shadowgun – both are made ten times easier to play with a PS3 controller or something similar.
The feature packed Nexus 4 has an impressive feature set, and being a Nexus product it’s highly sought after by Android developers, tinkerers and gadget obsessive types. USB OTG is a feature not known by the average gadget user, but to these types of customer it’s a big plus for a device to have.
Google’s user guide mentions USB OTG functionality on page 43, although a tipster for GSMArena has confirmed to them that the feature doesn’t work. Confirming this, Brian Klug of AnandTech tested his Nexus 4 with several accessories and confirmed the lacking support.
The ASUS-made Nexus 7 tablet features partial USB OTG support with compatibility for USB keyboards and mice but not external storage devices, but it seems the Nexus 4 has no support for USB devices whatsoever, which is a huge shame.
Fingers crossed that Google enables the feature in a future software update.
Is this bad news a deal breaker for you, or does a lack of USB OTG not bother you? Let us know by commenting below or on our Facebook or Twitter pages.
Via: GSMArena