The LG Nexus 4 was lost at a bar (no, really)

By Andrew Martonik
last updated

Remember all of that hubbub about an iPhone 4 prototype being left in a bar a couple years back? Yup, that happened with a Nexus 4 prototype as well. Back in September, the bartender at a popular San Francisco bar came across an interesting phone. Seeing so many phones every night left at the establishment, he didn't think much of it. When a patron at the bar that was more in tune with the current Google rumor mill noticed it was the LG Nexus 4, they knew they had an important device on their hands.

As the story goes, the bartender was quickly in contact directly with security detail at Google, and eventually arranged a meeting to retrieve the device. It's quite a story, and we recommend you take a look at the source link for the full saga (and some more pictures). We've also got the video of the device for you after the break.

Source: Wired

More: LG Nexus 4 Forums

Andrew Martonik
Andrew Martonik

Andrew was an Executive Editor, U.S. at Android Central between 2012 and 2020.

46 Comments
  • LG better hope Apple does not have a patent on "Antics"....Just saying!
  • The old "Phone Lost in a Bar" trick.........................Pulled right out of Apples bag of tricks.
  • The difference is Google have enough class and not needing to hire the police to break down doors to retrieve it.
  • Apple "invented"/reinvented our notification pull down, so Google reinvented lost it in a bar.
  • So unlike Apple, Google didn't immediately send out a ruthless death squad, thats a relief.
  • Actually, it sounds like the same story, except that the N4 didn't end up in the hands of a stupid Gawker blogger that wouldn't give up the chance at a hot scoop. For Apple, they escalated it from there. For Google, the guy who found the phone was cooperative.
  • I was being facetious.
  • I think the word your looking for is feces.
  • I think the word you're looking for is you're.
  • Win!
  • I heard he turned down a free phone to report this to the media... That's what Gizmodo is saying anyway...
  • He got paid plenty. Now he can buy several phones instead ..
  • with Google over $700 a share, i hope they gave it to him in stock options, or a job at Google.
  • LOL, seems LG/Google is using a move right out of Apple's own playbook. Come on guys, let's come up with a more original place to leave a phone next time.
  • Thank god nobody took the prototype and gave it to a review site or put it on XDA or something. That would be a disaster.
  • definitely seems like it was intentional
  • Dat Bar !
  • Dem Drinks!
  • At least they didn't call the whole united states armed forces and the hulk to get the phone, google probably gave the man some money
  • Here is the biggest BS of the whole story, the Nexus 4 is NOT, I said NOT going to come with KLP. Is wired even in touch with the computing world anymore? At the very least they are the absolute fringe at this point.
  • and gizmodo didnt report it first wow lol
  • So is this coming to Verizon or not? Lol
  • Signs are pointing to no.
  • It is Not going to Vzw. It will be available to ATT and T-Mo
  • You have to think that if there were carrier variants in testing that they'd be leaked at least to some extent, considering how immensely the GSM model is leaked. Suppose we'll find out soon.
  • Signs are pointing to yes
  • what an idiot!!
  • PR Stunt.
  • Just ONCE I would like the opportunity to lose a prototype device in a bar. I'm qualified... I go to bars...
  • Watch, Apple is going to sue LG for copying their style of losing their iPhones in the bars. LOL
  • lmao
  • +1
  • This was pretty much the first thing I thought of too.
  • This would have been interesting news. A month ago...
  • Took a while to boot up.
  • Go to the bar they said.. There is no way your can lose it they said.... have a few drinks, what could happen..
  • Yeah! the person for one did not pick the device up and show the back of it to verify it was infact the LG Nexus 4 and it was so damn dark that we could not make out if this was infact a Galaxy Nexus or the LG? :-(
  • Exactly!
  • So he had this phone and all he video taped was it booting up?!! Good Job way to go just what all of us wanted to see a device boot up.
  • Don't know why one is still reading Wired
  • Apple has already released a statement claiming they lost their prototype at a way cooler bar.
  • Google should give them 2 guys nexus for life. The one who knew it was a nexus4 could of bought the phone for $100 and sold it unbeknownst to the bartender. Or they could of both tried profiting. They should be taken to upcoming nexus launch and given devices but also for the next so many years one from the line.
  • Can I just say that the "screen" of the phone is moving around on the phones surface. It doesn't actually look like it was even the phones screen was ever turned on. Probably some fake model made and then a video of a nexus device turning on. Or at least that's what it looked like from my Galaxy Nexus.
  • Unlike the iPhone that was lost at a bar, the lost LG Nexus got almost zero
    media attention?
  • The video is in Flash. Really? You couldn't bother to make it HTML5 compatible? I thought you guys were the ones celebrating the impending demise of Flash. Edit: I suppose it could be that you imbedded a video from another site, I'm which case it's not your fault.
  • After checking my pockets, I just realized that's MY quarter!