Google's highly anticipated Nexus 7 tablet is now available on more retail Web sites worldwide. According to current listings, however, the less expensive model priced at $199 still remains exclusive to the Google Play online store.
Retailers such as Best Buy Canada, Staples, and B&H Photo and Video have listed only the more expensive Nexus 7 model with 16GB of storage and a $249 starting price depending on the region. None of these stores have listed the less expensive 8GB model, which costs $199 on the Google Play online store.
Google announced the Nexus 7 tablet last month at its annual developer conference, unveiling two configurations - 8GB and 16GB. The Asus-built tablet has Google's latest version of its Android operating system, a.k.a. Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, and is powered by a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor.
The 16GB model is listed on the Google Play store with a $249 price tag, with shipping scheduled to start in mid-July. Staples' Web site lists the same $249 model, with shipping beginning Thursday, July 12, to next Tuesday, July 17.
The tablet has many exciting features sparking interest, but the $199 was a great selling point for many consumers who wanted to try out an Android tablet. The 8GB model is the most feature-packed tablet under the $200 price range, but the pricier model will go head-to-head on price and features with tablets such as Samsung's 7-inch Galaxy Tab 2.
The Nexus 7 weighs less than one pound, and has a claimed battery life of up to nine hours on video playback and 300 hours on standby. Other features include Wi-Fi, a front-facing camera for video chats, Bluetooth, and NFC (Near-Field Communication). Meanwhile, the new OS, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, comes with an improved user interface, an expanded notification system, additional language support, enhanced touch features, support for more multimedia file formats, as well as the ability to share more files directly via Bluetooth.
If Google wants to catch up with Apple in the tablet market, the sub-$200 price point is critical to attract more buyers for the Nexus 7. Amazon's Kindle Fire, for instance, saw a surge in sales due to its attractive $199 price tag, as well as the customized version of Android.
While keeping it exclusive to the Google Play store may not hurt sales of the $199 Nexus 7, wider availability could significantly bolster the tablet's presence in an increasingly more competitive market.
