LG accuses Google of underestimating Nexus 4 demand
Handset maker LG has publicly rebuked Google for underestimating sales of its Nexus 4 smartphone, saying that a lack of availability had served to frustrate buyers.
Cathy Robin, director of LG Mobile France, took to a local paper to claim that estimates of 400,000 sales for the device were ‘much lower than reality’, adding that priority given to the British and German markets had led to shortages in France.
According to the guardian LG has been hit by complaints that it failed to manufacture sufficient devices to satisfy demand but the French arm of the South Korean firm has been seeking to pass the buck to Google.
Google’s UK managing director has previously blamed a lack of availability for the device on LG’s ‘scarce and erratic’ supply – prompting a tit-for-tat war of words between the firms.
Responding to this criticism Robin railed on Challenge.fr that "supply problems are not necessarily completely related to LG. Google presented forecasts according to sales predictions, based on their sales history for the previous Nexus. However they were lower than the actual demand.
@The current shipments from LG to Google match what has been pre-ordered on the Google Play site. We still ship them regularly. But it's 'just-in-time'. That's why the Nexus 4 is always in showing as sold out and potential buyers have the feeling they can't buy it."
LG are confident that supply issues can be resolved by February.