This article was published on February 11, 2013

Google’s first US prime time Nexus 4 ad, airing during the Grammys, is all about Google Now


Google’s first US prime time Nexus 4 ad, airing during the Grammys, is all about Google Now

Google has posted details of its first US prime time TV advert for the Nexus 4 smartphone, which is airing during the commercial breaks for the Grammy Awards show. The ad spot focuses almost entirely on Google Now, showing clearer than ever that the service is Google’s key emphasis for mobile, not to mention its rival to Apple’s Siri.

The first dedicated Nexus 4 ad was a Christmas-themed effort that went down rather quietly last month, showcasing the device’s camera. However, this new advert — details of which were revealed on Google+ by Vic Gundotra, who heads up development of Google’s social network — is its first big-time US ad spot for the (Android 4.2) Jelly Bean-powered device and the focus is interesting.

Rather than going into detail on the handset itself, which is built by LG, the advertisement highlights the features of Google Now, showcasing a number of ways it can be used via examples from across the world. In the extended 60-second version of the video, below, Google Now is used to check the weather, plan and carry out a trip, locate a restaurant, perform a translation on the go, and video chat through a Hangout.

Apple has long promoted Siri — its prized software-based service for the iPhone — to the US public through ads with celebrities like Samuel L. Jackson, John Malkovich and Zooey Deschanel. Here’s further proof (if it were ever needed) that Google is adopting a similar software push for its top smartphone, and Google Now — which will be coming to Google Chrome, the Web’s most popular browser, soon — is its big offering.

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Is the advert enough to convince the US smartphone public to go for a Google Now-powered Nexus over the iPhone 5 and Siri? That will likely depend person-to-person, but the advert certainly showcases a range of features that show Google Now can at least compete with Siri.

Take a look for yourself, below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SpaLZOjqMew

LG and Google are estimated to have shipped 1 million Nexus 4 devices. While that figure is likely to remain unconfirmed, the device has been riddled with low supply issues which have frequently led to frenzied sales of batches and quick sellouts.

The device was back in stock for customers in the UK, France and Spain at the end of January, following supply boosts for the US and Australia earlier in the month.

Related: As sales surge, Google debuts its first Nexus 7 commercial

Headline image via drukelly / Flickr

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