The Nexus 4 got updated to Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, bringing various new features to the device and improving the overall usability of the operating system for its users, but some have been reporting a slight loss of performance with the new build. According to reports, the operating system has simply not been optimized for this hardware, even though it’s a flagship device by Google themselves, and this has resulted in a lot of disappointment among owners of the device, as well as many discussions about how the situation can be addressed.
Cleaning the cache is one of the first things that get suggested in this case, but it’s often just a temporary solution and not a permanent fix. It may result in a slight performance gain briefly, but in the end more drastic measures are needed in order to get the situation resolved. According to some, the problem might not even be solvable in general, and unless Google released a special build of the operating system that’s specifically targeted for this device and optimized around its hardware, not much can be done on the user side without any action.
On the other hand, there are definitely options available for users who know what they are doing and want to take matters into their own hands. Custom ROMs are always an option, and they are easily available for download all over the Internet. The Nexus 4 in particular has several versions available for it, each with a different set of features and advantages over other builds, and in general there are plenty of options available for a user of the device who wants to improve their operating system’s usability.
According to reports, the CM12.1 Nightly is actually quite good for the Nexus 4 and it’s been recommended as the main custom ROM of choice for users who want to flash their devices and get access to more features of the operating system while also improving their performance. There have been various reports from users claiming that this particular ROM has everything a Nexus 4 user would need to comfortably manage their device, but it’s important to note that the ROM is only fully compatible with the “mako” variant of the device, which is the international model.
As usual, this is a procedure that should be approached very carefully, especially by users who aren’t familiar with the process and have never done it before. There are various things that can go wrong, but they all come down to choosing the wrong settings, and as long as the user has read the guidelines relevant to the flashing procedure for their device and have familiarized themselves with the steps fully, there’s very little that can actually go wrong. Flashing software has improved a lot recently and it now comes with various safeguards to protect less savvy users from bricking their devices and getting themselves into a lot of trouble that can be very hard to get out of later.
There are other caveats as well – for example, flashing a custom ROM to a device voids its warranty, so those who’ve purchased their phones more recently would want to be careful and approach this with caution. Obviously, phone repair shops will still take the device to restore it after a failed flashing attempt, but this will not be covered by its warranty and it’s up to the user to handle the costs for the recovery procedure. In most cases though, it’s not actually that expensive so this shouldn’t be such a major issue for most people.